Trapped
by Bobapearl
Summary: It was just another normal day at work, a day filled with ordinary tasks and ordinary people. In fact, the only thing "un-ordinary" was Kyoko's oddly cheerful mood. But only if she knew. If only she had not taken the elevator in TBM that night, if only she was a just couple of seconds late, she would have never walked right into the worst nightmare of her life.
1. Stuck

Hi everyone! So with all honesty, I think I may have a problem. I CAN'T STOP WRITING. Every time I finish one story, I always think up new ones to start on and this idea instantly came to mind. Although, I have to admit I'm actually quite excited to write this one out and hope that you will enjoy this story as much as the others. Thank you again for the interest and I anticipate to hold it until the end. Please read and review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

She exhaled deeply and ran a tired hand through her hair. Somewhat damp from having to wear the chicken head costume for 60 long minutes, Kyoko wiped a clean towel over her forehead and gulped down a good sip of water from her plastic bottle before she stripped the rest of the hot outfit. Tonight's show was once again a great success. More people were tuning in to the reality show by the day, especially now that she had been given a bit more leeway with how she wanted to portray her character.

In fact, most fans liked the strange antics of Bo, even at times when Kyoko hadn't planned to act that way at all. She always managed to trip over someone or knock something over on stage, but most people assumed it was a part of the act. And thankfully, it always worked out that way.

The director of the show, however, was less than pleased. After Kyoko's first disaster of a debut as Bo, he could never find it in his heart to forgive her. She tried her very best to get into his good spirits, but after countless attempts and a string of failures, Kyoko figured as long as she didn't infuriate him, then things will be just fine the way they were.

"Good job today, Kyoko," a crewman said, balancing a large microphone stand over his shoulder as he stood by her dressing room door. "That little dance at the end tonight was priceless. You were really funny."

Kyoko laughed nervously. "Yeah, had that planned out and everything," she said with a strained smile. Once again, luck was on her side tonight and she prayed with all her might that it will forever remain so.

He smiled. "Well, I look forward to next week's show. Have a good night!"

"You too."

Kyoko waved in farewell until he walked past and then let her hand fall miserably to her side. This job was a lot more stressful than she ever thought it would be. She presumed acting like a mute chicken would be simple, but the large head, thick costume, and massive chicken-feet shoes were all carefully designed instruments that somehow led to her doom in just about every airing. It sure was a hell of a job.

She gave a wary shake of her head as she neatly put the costume away. But even though it wasn't the best job in the world, Kyoko had to admit she did have a sort of fondness to it. It was the one time where she could act freely, without worrying what the world thought of her. That in itself was very valuable, especially in the entertainment industry.

By the time she had freshened up and changed into her normal clothes, it was already pretty late into the night. Most people had left the TBM building by now so there really wasn't anyone there except for Kyoko as she made her way down the hall.

She checked her cell phone and saw that it was 8:45. She had to get back to LME by 9:30 in order to prepare for her next job.

Smiling, Kyoko replaced her phone back to its rightful place and slung her purse over her shoulder as her mind casually drifted. It had been a while since she had taken up the role as Cain Heel's little sister and she was quite eager to return. Kyoko would never admit it out loud, but she quite enjoyed being Setsu the rebel. Although her choices in clothing would not be Kyoko's first pick, her air of confidence and nonchalance made her a very empowering character.

Of course, Setsu would be nothing without her brother. And at that thought, a slight blush colored her cheeks as Kyoko wondered if he was driving to LME by now.

She hadn't seen him in the last couple of days and couldn't help but feel somewhat excited to see him again, especially now that they were working together. He always seemed to bring out her best acting ability. Whether it was because he was her teacher or his undeniable talent, Kyoko cherished every moment by his side.

Although she had never once thought of him as a brother, she had to admit that he made a very believable one. The joy she felt whenever he responded to her acting was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Cain, although dark and insensitive to others, was anything but with his sister Setsu. Normally, Kyoko wouldn't approve of such pampering, but when playing his little sister she couldn't help but relish in his over-bearing ways.

Not to mention, she herself had a tendency to spoil him as well. The odd sibling complex between the two was quite a sight to behold, but nevertheless, Kyoko gave it her all and gladly poured her heart and soul into the role.

She finally reached the end of the hallway and pushed the button for the elevator. Humming a wordless melody under her breath, she cheerfully tapped her foot upon the vinyl floor and waited until the quiet ding of the bell signaled the arrival of the machine.

Once she stepped inside, Kyoko pushed for the lobby floor and leaned back against the center wall. But just as the elevator reached the tenth floor, the double doors suddenly slid open again. Curious, Kyoko tilted her head to the side to see who would be boarding at this time of the hour.

Her jaw dropped open.

Both of their eyes couldn't have gotten any wider. The surprise on their faces said more than enough. He stood by the open doors in a pair of ripped, faded jeans and a simple black t-shirt, looking like the modern version of Satan himself. Kyoko could scarcely believe it. And before he could even utter a sound, she finally awoke from her stunned stupor and shouted:

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

He blinked in frustration and scowled. "What? You're the only one who can set foot into TBM?"

Kyoko glared menacingly. "Catch the next one. This one is full."

"Fuck that," Sho replied as he stepped inside. "I want to go home too, you know."

Furious, she flew at him with tightly clenched fists and yelled with every thump upon his large head, "GET-OUT-YOU-STUPID-IDIOT!"

"What the hell?" he hollered, dropping the heavy guitar case in his hand and bringing his arms over his head as protection. "You're fucking insane!"

With great effort, he was able to get a hold of Kyoko's slender wrists as the two silver doors slid shut behind him. She painfully wrenched free of his grasp and pressed herself against the opposite wall, as far away from him as the room possibly allowed. "You! Stay over there! And don't talk to me!"

He scoffed. "Why the hell would I want to talk to you? You think I want to be in here?"

"Then why didn't you wait for the next one?" Kyoko snarled.

"Why didn't you?" he spat back.

"BECAUSE I WAS HERE FIRST!"

"WELL TOO BAD!"

Kyoko gripped the rail behind her until her knuckles turned ghostly white. Out of all people to take an elevator ride with, it had to be this stupid bastard. God _must _be punishing her. Seeing his disgustingly mustard-colored hair and narrowed blue eyes were more than enough to make her blood boil. Kyoko could take just about anything the world threw at her, but one second with this guy could easily send her over the edge.

Of course, it wasn't like Sho wanted to be here either. He didn't exactly enjoy Kyoko's company when she was in a rage like this. But considering everything that had happened between them, she will always act like this around him. In fact, she would probably never treat him like a civil human being again. Not like he cared. He had plenty of people who adored him. Sho didn't need her.

Angry now, he slammed his palm against the already-glowing button for the lobby. Sho then swiftly moved to the opposite wall away from her and glared at the frustrated actress over his guitar case that was now safely tucked underneath his chin.

Kyoko's eyes narrowed.

Sho glared back.

The tension dangerously crackled between the two. And with every second that passed, it only started to build and build until they were both suffocating. But Kyoko refused to be the first to look away. She would not concede defeat. Sho also stared her down like a hawk. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of making him sweat.

But unfortunately his weakness won out first. "Nice outfit," he finally smirked, unable to bear the uncomfortable silence any longer. "Is that how you normally dress for a job? No wonder you're just a second-rate actress."

"Look who's talking," Kyoko snapped. "Can't even buy a decent pair of jeans?"

"This is how cool people dress."

"Wow, never realized the hobo look is in. You're doing a fantastic job then."

He clenched his hand into a tight fist. "Shut the hell up."

"Make me."

"You sure about that?" he threatened, taking a step forward.

Kyoko growled. "I dare you to come over here and try," she replied, primed for attack.

Snorting at her tense stance, Sho leaned back against the wall again and said, "Forget it. I don't hit girls, no matter how flat-chested they are."

"Well there's something we both agree on," Kyoko answered with a sneer. "We don't hit _girls._"

"You know what, you—!"

KA-THUNK!

They froze.

"What was that?" Kyoko whispered.

Sho looked up confusedly and shook his head. "I don't know."

CLANK!

Kyoko instantly straightened up and swiveled her head around. "Did we just stop moving?"

"I don't—"

"Oh my god, we're not moving."

"Hold on—"

"The elevator stopped. THE ELEVATOR STOPPED!"

"WOULD YOU CALM—?"

"WE'RE NOT MOVING!"

Kyoko rushed towards the box of buttons and started to push for any floor. Any floor would work. It didn't even matter if it took her all the way underground. She didn't care as long as she got off. There was no way she could stay in here! SHE CAN'T STAY IN HERE!

"Kyoko, stop! You're going to—!"

"DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THIS PROBLEM?" she shrieked over her shoulder. "We're not moving!"

"I get that!" he shouted back angrily. "But don't start pushing—!"

BAM!

Kyoko and Sho whipped their head towards the ceiling. Barely breathing, the two stood in the very center of the room, back to back, and waited for whatever doom was going to come next. Were they going to plummet a hundred feet? Was the elevator going to combust? What the hell was going on?

Nothing could be heard. It was eerily silent, as if there was nothing around them. Not a soul.

Sho gulped nervously. "Kyoko?"

"Y-y-yeah?"

"I think we're—"

"NOOOOOOOO!"


	2. Desperate

Hi everyone! So I'm ultra happy to know that you enjoyed the start of this story. That certainly gives me the motivation to keep going. Once again, thank you for all the wonderful support and reviews. It means the world! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

"This can't be happening. No, no, no, no, no. This CANNOT be happening. Please don't let this be happening," Kyoko wailed as she continued the incessant pushing of buttons. But nothing worked. The backlights of every circled number was off, a terrible sign that nothing was functioning properly.

But Kyoko couldn't stop trying. Sprawled upon her knees, she tried everything she could possibly think of. First, tapping each of them lightly as if there was some sort of magical password that will open the double doors and then holding one button for a few prolonged seconds, praying to hear the magnificent whirring of the elevator again. Absolutely nothing.

"No, no, no, no, no!"

"Stop crying!" Sho snapped. "It's not helping at all!"

"AND YOU ARE?" Kyoko shouted as she angrily turned around to face him.

Sitting down upon the floor with one leg curled and the other straightened out, Sho was leaning back against the center wall as if everything was fine. Kyoko clenched her teeth at the sight of him. "Do you realize that we may be stuck here? INDEFINITELY?"

He snorted. "Are all you actresses like this? Painstakingly over-dramatic?"

"Shotaro! We're stuck in an elevator! And there's no one in the building to help us!"

"You don't think I realize that?" he replied as he rose to his feet. "I know there's no one in the _building_ who can help us."

Walking over to the box, he knelt down onto his calves besides her and gestured to a red button at the very bottom. Kyoko raised an eyebrow. She hadn't even noticed that there.

"See? If you would just calm down and breathe for a second, you would have realized that there is an emergency call button."

Kyoko sniffed. "You could have pointed that out sooner."

"What? And miss your little tirade?"

"Just push the damn button," she growled, leaning away from him. He was too close for comfort.

Sho smirked victoriously. "You know, this makes it the second time I saved your life."

"You are not saving my life!"

"And your second time being ungrateful," he added.

"For your information," Kyoko retorted hotly, "I did thank you the last time and besides, if it wasn't because of your stupidity, I would have never been stalked in the first place!"

"Oh sure, I told him to stalk you. Great point. Then what about now?"

"I'm sorry, are you the fire department?" she asked sarcastically.

"Well if it wasn't for me, they wouldn't be coming," Sho replied with unamused eyes.

"Well then, why don't you push the damn button, and maybe afterwards, I'll thank you?"

Irritated, Sho roughly turned back towards the box and stabbed the button with his thumb.

Nothing.

Kyoko stared with wide eyes, her hands trembling at her sides.

"Maybe I did it wrong," he mumbled quickly, jamming the button again and again and again.

She stumbled back, hanging onto the metal rail as all of the feelings in her legs disappeared. Kyoko could barely breathe. Her heart was constricting so tightly against her chest that it felt like she was experiencing a full blown heart attack.

Sho slowly straightened up and ran a hand through his hair. "Shit."

"Shit? WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHIT?"

"It's not working obviously!"

"You said it would!" Kyoko screeched, hysteria quickly filling her voice.

"Who the hell do you think I am?" he shouted back. "I can't do anything about this!"

"This is all your fault!"

"My fault? HOW THE FUCK IS THIS MY FAULT?"

"If you hadn't taken this elevator, all of this wouldn't be happening!"

"What the—? Are you saying I'm weighing this thing down?"

"Damn right I am! That massive head of yours broke the elevator!"

"WHY YOU LITTLE—!"

"And now I'm going to die in here!" Kyoko sobbed, crumpling to her knees. "You're going to be the last person I ever see! OH MY GOD! I'M DYING HERE WITH _YOU_!" she screamed, her shaky finger extended at his staggered expression.

Kyoko's cries intensified as she covered her face with her hands. There was no way out. She had never felt so helpless before in her life and what was worse was that HE was the one accompanying her in this hell hole. How could life possibly get any worse?

"You're not going to die!" Sho yelled back furiously. "None of us are!"

Kyoko shook her head back and forth. "I can't die. I can't die in here. I haven't even reached my twenties yet! I'm too young! And what about Moko-san? What is she going to do without me? We even made plans to eat out tomorrow! What is she going to say? Oh no, she'll hate me! NO! I didn't flake on you, Moko-san! Please don't be mad!"

"Kyoko, get a fucking grip!" Sho snapped as he wrenched her hands away from her face. "We'll be fine!"

"How can you even say that?" she cried, yanking her hands away from him as if she was burned. "We're stuck with no way to contact anyone!"

"What about a cell phone?" Sho asked sternly.

Kyoko stopped.

"A what?"

"A phone! Do you have your phone on you?"

A cellphone! That was it! Without bothering to utter a sound of confirmation, Kyoko spun around and dug through her purse on the floor. Adrenaline was pumping straight through her veins. Kyoko could barely contain herself. SHE WAS SAVED! Fumbling through the contents, she found the heavenly pink savior lying at the bottom. She whipped out the device and quickly punched in 911.

Sho instinctively stood closer to her, trying to listen in.

But there was no ringing on the other end. The phone couldn't connect at all.

"There's no signal," Kyoko mumbled in a lifeless tone, letting her hand fall to her side. "We can't make any calls."

Now it was Sho's turn to back up against the wall. The seriousness of this problem kept getting thicker and thicker. At this rate, they would have to wait until tomorrow morning before anyone would find them. But who knew how long that may be? And what if the problem with the elevator was with the cables? Will it be able to hold on for that long?

"What about you?" Kyoko suddenly demanded.

"What about me?"

"Where's your cell phone? Yours may have signal."

Sho exhaled deeply with a shake of his head. "I don't have mine."

"How can you not have your cell phone?" Kyoko asked angrily.

"I have Shoko! She makes all of my calls!"

"Shoko-san!" Kyoko suddenly exclaimed in eagerness at her name. "She must be here! If you don't return, she'll come looking for you, right?"

Sho frowned. "No, most likely she won't."

"Why not?"

"She doesn't even know I'm here. She thinks I'm in my hotel room, but clearly I'm not."

Kyoko could barely contain her temper. She had never felt more furious in her life and desperate to put the blame somewhere, she shouted, "COULD YOU BE ANY MORE STUPID? WHO THE HELL LIES TO THEIR MANAGER ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE?"

"What about you?" he hollered back defensively. "Does anyone even know _you're_ here?"

"No—!"

Kyoko suddenly fell silent. Instantly, his face came to mind. It was truly such a vain hope, but if there was anyone who would have any idea where she was, it would be him. She did indeed mention it in passing to him the last time they talked. But to think that he would actually remember that tiny fact was absolutely ridiculous. Besides, without a working phone, there was no way of contacting him anyway.

Kyoko slumped back and slid down onto the floor.

"We're stuck," she murmured, dropping her head onto her arm.

"Yeah…we are."

* * *

Ren glanced at his wrist watch with confusion. It was already 9:42. What could be taking her so long?

He turned his head towards the large glass window and looked down at the streets, hoping to see her run by, but not a single person was in sight. It was very unlike her to be late, especially without calling. She was probably the most punctual person he had ever met, so today was certainly a bizarre occurrence.

The double doors at the end of the large room suddenly swung open and in walked Yashiro with a steaming cup in his hand. "Here you go, Ren. It's just tea."

He smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Yashiro."

"Still not here yet, huh?"

Ren shook his head, murmuring, "It's odd. She's always on time."

"Well, it's only been a few minutes. Something must be holding her back at TBM."

Ren nodded absent-mindedly and placed his untouched beverage on the table. "I guess so…Is Wood-san waiting in the other room?"

"Yeah, do you want to get your make-up done first?"

"No, I would rather wait."

Yashiro smiled, sympathy coloring his kind face. There was no one in the world who understood Ren better than him. After so many years of being his manager and friend, Yashiro practically knew Ren like the back of his own hand. Sometimes, he would even argue he understood him better than the actor himself.

So, it didn't take him long to know that Ren's desire to see Kyoko was at its limit. He failed miserably trying to contain his eagerness during the day. Yashiro caught him glancing at the clock more times than there were stars in the sky. He was obviously looking forward to tonight and had every right to be.

Setsu and Cain Heel shared the exact level of intimacy Ren needed, whether he dared to admit it or not. Although he vehemently opposed the relationship in the beginning, Yashiro knew that he did enjoy himself. Through Cain, Ren could let some of his inner emotions slip through without worrying too much about the consequences afterwards. Not to say that he was taking advantage of the situation, but the poor guy had so many feelings bottled up that they were bound to surface eventually. At least as Cain, it would be in a more "suitable" environment.

Ren sighed deeply. "I'm a little worried, Yashiro."

"I'm not surprised," he chuckled. "For any minute she's not here, you're missing out on valuable time with her."

Cursing his transparency, Ren replied, "I don't mean it like that. I'm afraid something may have happened to her."

"Ren, you cause more stress for yourself than needed. I'm sure she's fine. So she's a few minutes late, life does that to you sometime, you know."

He frowned, knowing there was no way he could argue. Yashiro's answer seemed logical enough, but for some odd reason Ren wasn't appeased. He felt wound up, as if somebody was twisting his nerves into knots. There was no good reason for him to be so pent up, but he so clearly was.

Yashiro shook his head in weariness at his friend's edgy posture. "Look, if you're that concerned, why don't you try calling her?"

Ren didn't reply.

He wanted to. He really wanted to, but at the same time, he didn't want to be so overbearing. Besides, what in the world was he going to say? She was a couple of minutes late and so now he demands to know where she is? If that didn't sound insane, Ren didn't know what would. Who was he to need to know where she was?

And since he was being completely honest with himself at the moment, Ren realized that Kyoko didn't even have to show up tonight. She was playing a role that in no way benefitted herself. Ren was the one who needed her.

But the weight of the cell phone in his trouser pocket somehow seemed to grow.

His hands itched to reach for it. He truly needed to hear her voice.

She wouldn't be insulted if he called, right? All he had to say was that it was late and since she was an actress, it would be reasonable for him to be worried about her well-being. As a matter of fact, as her mentor he should be worried. That wasn't too bad…right?

Ren fluidly reached into his pocket and pulled out the phone.

Yashiro laughed and casually made his way towards the door. "I'll give you two some privacy."

"That isn't necessary, Yashiro."

"Oh believe me, I think it is."

So with a friendly wave, he walked out of the double doors without another word. Somewhat bothered by Yashiro's tendency to know his unspoken wishes, Ren flipped open his cell and went straight to his contact list, scrolling down until he saw her name. Then with a deep cleansing breath, Ren gathered up whatever courage he could and clicked send, hoping to God she'll pick up.


	3. Tension

Hi all! Thank you again for all the positive reviews. I'm glad that you don't think I'm butchering the Sho and Kyoko interaction. Although he may not be my favorite character in the series, I have to say, writing out his antics is quite fun. Once again, thank you for the interest and I hope you like the next chapter. Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

If the room was tense before, then this was now a whole different ball game. Kyoko and Sho sat on opposite corners, refusing to meet each other's eyes. After a good 30 minutes of trying to find a way out of this metal cage, they finally conceded defeat to the fact that they would have to wait until morning before being saved. Of course, just because they came to terms with the situation didn't mean they were happy about it.

Sho could feel the wrinkles in his forehead grow deeper and deeper from his scowl, but he could do nothing to wipe the irritated look off his face. What a waste of a Friday night. If he was going to spend it with a girl, at least let it be with a happier person, not this bundle of joy over here. He frowned. This night was worsening by the second.

And Kyoko couldn't have agreed more. She didn't even dare to raise her head. She kept her eyes locked on the patterned carpet, counting the number of dark diamonds and separating them from the lighter ones over and over and over again. But she could still feel his presence. Kyoko heard the rustle of his clothes and the thump of the guitar case every time he moved. It was taking every bit of strength she had to squash her desire of screaming at him to sit still. Kyoko forcefully bit down on her tongue and relied on her acting ability to block out all the unnecessary distractions.

Tired, she sighed deeply and closed her eyes. If she remembered correctly, Ren had taught her that in order to fully relax the mind she would have to start from the bottom up. So obediently, Kyoko flexed her toes and stretched out her legs. Breathing in and out, she slowly relaxed every part of her body, bit by bit. She could already feel the knots begin to unwind. And once she was physically at peace, all she had to do was—

"Hey."

She gritted her teeth together. _"So much for relaxing."_

"What?" Kyoko finally muttered, feeling her body stiffen once more.

"What are you doing over there?"

"Well, I was TRYING to relax and clear my mind."

"That last one won't take long."

Kyoko's eyes sprang open and to her displeasure, saw him smirking at her. "Shut up."

"Wow, how the hell can you relax? You can't even take a fucking joke."

She glared. "If that's your idea of comedy, then stick to music."

He smirked. "Is that a compliment?"

"Yeah, look who's the idiot now?" Kyoko scoffed with derision.

Sho narrowed his eyes. "I'll have you know, you're looking at the holder of the number one album right now."

"I'm sorry," Kyoko retorted. "Did I give off the impression that I cared?"

Clenching his teeth in agitation, he growled, "You are the most—!"

"You're a bigger one!"

"I didn't even finish what I was going to say!"

"YOU'RE STILL A BIGGER ONE!"

"YOU'RE FUCKING STUPID, YOU KNOW THAT?"

"I KNOW YOU ARE, BUT WHAT AM I?"

"What the—? I just said—!"

"Quit talking to me! Your voice is annoying!"

"MY VOICE?" Sho yelled back incredulously, his face getting redder by the minute. "I'm a singer and you're criticizing my voice?'

"WHO EVER SAID YOU WERE A GOOD ONE?"

"ASK MY MILLIONS OF FANS!"

"THEY'RE DELUSIONAL! JUST LIKE YOU!"

"You used to think my singing was great!"

"Like I said: DELUSIONAL! BUT THANK GOD, YOU WOKE ME UP, RIGHT?"

Sho instantly fell silent. It was like all the air had been sucked out of the room. With her chest heaving up and down in agitation, Kyoko crossed her arms and glared at him with enraged eyes. She could practically feel the anger rolling off of her in waves.

His jaw tightened. He didn't know how to respond at all. But knowing he had to try, he opened his mouth and said, "Look, I—"

"Save it. I'm done talking to you."

"God, must you always be so infuriating?"

"I'm stuck in this stupid elevator with a stupid idiot. How can I not be infuriated?"

"Okay, obviously we're going to be here for a while, so why don't—"

"—we not talk to each other?"

Sho gritted his teeth. "Can you PLEASE, for one minute, not interrupt me every DAMN, FUCKING time?"

Sneering, Kyoko replied, "Can you go for one minute without opening your damn trap?"

He clenched his hands together and shoved them underneath his arms. There was no one in the world who could piss him off like Kyoko. It was like she knew exactly what buttons to push and at exactly what time. Another hour like this was certainly going to kill him.

Angry beyond belief, Sho turned his head away and clamped his mouth shut. She didn't want to talk? Fine. He didn't need to take this. In fact, he would much rather stare at the inside of his eyelids than look at her. A nap was exactly what he needed.

Pleased that he finally shut up, Kyoko closed her eyes once more and tried to go back to relaxing. But all of the patience she had earlier was gone just like any chances she had of escaping here tonight.

Kyoko frowned. She had no idea what had come over her. She swore to herself that she would never speak of what happened between them ever again. But of course, as with every time she was in this guy's presence, all of her self-control flew out the window. He pulled that response out of her as if he wanted to hear her blow up. Actually, sometimes she wondered if he enjoyed pissing her off.

She growled internally. This was going to be the longest night of her life.

Now that relaxing had become impossible, Kyoko tried another route. She was going to focus on all the happy things in her life instead, like her new-found love for acting, her best friend Moko-san, her role as Setsu Heel, and working alongside the best actor in the country. Kyoko smiled. So many things had gone wrong in the past, but at least now, there were some things that went right too. She just had to stick through the thick and thin, and everything will go back to the way it was.

Curious now, she rummaged through her purse and picked up her cell phone. It was 9:42. He was probably waiting at LME. Was he mad that she was late? Would he even care? Because it wasn't like Ren needed the second act. After all, Setsu was just a minor character President Lory had conjured up at the very last minute.

Kyoko sighed sadly. He would most likely continue on without her. It would be more than easy to write her out of the script. She nodded dejectedly. _"That's right,"_ she thought. _"He would be just fine on his own."_

Suddenly, the most glorious thing happened.

It was as if life had finally granted her a break.

She couldn't believe it!

Kyoko stared down at the palm of her hand, watching the pink device vibrate and glow. Her eyes grew in size as she read the name of the caller. It couldn't be!

Sho heard the noise too and instantly whipped his head up. Without even thinking about it, he scrambled over to her and hollered, "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? PICK IT UP!"

Oddly possessive, Kyoko smoothly pushed herself away from him and snapped, "I GOT IT!"

Sho fell back in alarm. _"What the—?"_

She then flipped the phone open and smoothly pressed it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Mogami-san?"

Her heart stuttered. Exhaling in relief, she slumped her shoulders and allowed hope to flood through her veins. She was saved. Never before in her life had she realized how beautiful he sounded. His voice was truly music to her ears, velvety deep music. In no time, without any effort at all, Kyoko had never felt safer.

"Is everything alright?" he asked worriedly at her silence. "It's getting late and I was just wondering where you are."

"I'm fine, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko managed to reply in a steady voice. She didn't want to worry him any further than he already was—or possibly will be. "I'm so sorry for being late," she added.

He smiled gently and shook his head. "It's alright. I'm just glad that nothing happened to you."

"Uh, about that," Kyoko began nervously.

Ren sat up straighter. "What? What's wrong, Mogami-san? Are you hurt?"

"No, no! I'm _physically_ fine. It's just—I'm sort of in a problem."

Kyoko had no idea why she wasn't freaking out. Just a few minutes earlier, she was screaming at the top of her lungs in absolute hysteria and now she was speaking so calmly. Then it finally hit her. It was because she was talking to him. With him on the line, Kyoko knew that everything would be just fine. He will make sure of it. There was nothing to worry about now that he was here. She was saved.

"What kind of problem, Mogami-san?" Ren asked in a serious tone.

"I'm stuck. In an elevator. At TBM."

Ren's face blanched. Quickly rising to his feet, he asked, "Oh my god, Mogami-san, are you alright? How long have you been in there?"

Strangely flattered by his panic-stricken voice, Kyoko reassured, "I'm fine, Tsuruga-san! I swear! And it hasn't been too long. I've been here for almost an hour I think."

"And you can't contact the fire department?"

"No, the emergency call isn't working."

"Why didn't you use your cell phone instead, Mogami-san?" he asked.

"My phone didn't have signal. I couldn't call anyone. I'm actually surprised that you were able to."

Ren nodded in understanding, more than thankful that by some miracle his call went through. Who knew how long she would be in there if he didn't call her? Thank goodness that he was able to put his cowardice aside for once. "Alright Mogami-san, just sit tight and I'll be right over once I call the fire department. Now how's the battery life on your phone?"

Kyoko stole a quick glance at the screen and turned back to the receiver. "It's about two thirds full."

"Good. I don't want to risk the chance of not being able to contact you again, so I'll just put you on hold while I make the call, okay?"

"Yes, Tsuruga-san."

"By no means do you hang up. Do you understand, Mogami-san?"

Kyoko nodded. "Got it."

"Alright, is there anyone else in there with you or are you alone?"

Wide-eyed, Kyoko finally looked up and saw Sho staring at her with eyes practically in slits. He was livid. Kyoko was more than aware of his intense dislike towards Ren (and that dislike was certainly reciprocated), but to see the hard expression in his face shocked her. Did he not realize that thanks to Ren they were saved?

But if she clearly thought it through, he wasn't too far off base either. If Ren knew that she was in the same room as Sho, he would be just as livid, if not more. Anything that had to do with this musician killed his mood in less than an instant. Nevertheless, this situation was completely out of her control. If anyone had asked her, Kyoko would have never wanted him in here with her either. Ren would understand…right?

Kyoko gulped anxiously. "Um, n-n-no Tsuruga-san. I-I-I'm not alone."

"Who else is there with you?"

"Uh, actually Sh—"

"Yo."

Ren immediately froze, his blood running cold.

Sho smirked proudly at the stunned silence on the other end as he held the cell phone to his ear. "So, you going to get us out of here or what, Tsuruga?"


	4. Rage

Hey all! Once again, thank you for the encouraging reviews. And as much as I love writing the fiery word-exchange between Kyoko and Sho, I'm extremely pleased to introduce my favorite character of all into the story. Yes, I'm a huge sucker for Ren. LOL. But anyway, thank you so much for taking an interest and I hope you like this new one! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

"AN ELEVATOR?" Yashiro repeated incredulously, his eyes widening in horror. "Is Kyoko-chan alright?"

"She's fine so far," Ren answered as he slipped into his dark coat. "But I'm going to have to call the fire department to get her out. So Yashiro, I was hoping if you could hail a cab and make your way over there before me."

"Yeah, of course! I can do that."

"And if it's not too much to ask, please try to get any of the workers of TBM there. Anybody's help will be great."

Yashiro nodded. Ren smiled thankfully at his friend's compliance and gently placed a hand upon his shoulder. "I'm sorry for making you do all of this."

Shaking his head, Yashiro replied, "Nonsense, Ren! This is nothing. Besides, I want Kyoko-chan safe too. Whatever I can do to help, I will gladly do so."

So with one last grateful smile, Ren grabbed his still open cell phone upon the table and quickly made his way out the door and down the stairs. First things first, he had to get in contact with the fire department. He swiftly dialed 911 and was instantly connected to the right people who could help. After explaining the situation and giving them as many details as he could, Ren sighed in relief when they told him they will be there in just a few minutes.

Satisfied now, he practically flew down those last flights of stairs in haste. He had to get to TBM. Every second he wasn't there meant another second she was stuck in an elevator that could be dangling from nothing but a few broken cables. Although Kyoko sounded alright on the phone, he would much rather see her face to face, just to be sure.

Of course, to say that he only needed to see her was a complete lie. Ren had to get her out of there, not only for her safety, but also his own sanity. Just the thought of _him_ being so close to her in that tiny, cramped room was driving Ren insane. He couldn't stand the thought of Sho being within reach of the love of his life. He HAD to get her out.

And obviously the logical solution to this sticky predicament would be switching over to talk to Kyoko on the phone now that he had done his job. That way, he would be fully aware as to what _exactly_ was going on in that elevator. But no matter how strong the desire, Ren had to get his anger under check first. So while sitting in the safety of his own car, he could feel the fury freely rising within him. He had never felt so frustrated in his life. Placing the open cell onto the passenger seat, Ren turned the ignition and gripped the steering wheel until his fingers began to cramp.

It was truly irrational for him to be so upset. Kyoko was the one stuck in an elevator. He should be concerned about her. But every time he thought about her sitting in that dark room, he couldn't forget who was in there sitting alongside her. In fact, just thinking about that short phone call with him was already increasing his rage tenfold.

If it was up to him, Ren would never want Kyoko to run into Sho again.

After what that guy did to her, he had no right to speak to her. He didn't even have a right to think about her. It was because of him that Kyoko refused to trust anyone again. His selfishness and cruelty pushed her to the brink of vengeance. Kyoko would be better off without him. Ren was sure of it.

Because a world without Sho meant Kyoko could smile freely, without worrying about revenge or hatred. She would realize that not all men are so evil and that there are people who truly care about her—if only she would just open her eyes and see.

Ren's jaw tightened.

Even now, the one thing Ren was ashamed of above all else was that underneath his obvious rage, he was still incredibly jealous. He hated knowing that at one point in her life, Kyoko truly did love Sho. And to think that her feelings could return practically killed him from within. His mood suddenly darkened, remembering Sho using the word "us" when he had last spoken to him. That right there instantly made him murderous, a sign that Ren was quickly losing his composure.

Ren knew he was a downright coward for being so unsure. If he felt nearly as confident as he looked, then Sho's presence should not be such a threat. Ren shouldn't have to care or worry at all.

But Kyoko had never once expressed any feelings of love towards him. Although there were times when she showed him signs of deeper affection, Ren knew that those sentiments were in no way a serious tribute to her feelings for him. In all actuality, Ren hadn't a clue as to how she felt about him at all.

Sho gained her love once. Who was Ren to say that he wouldn't gain it again? After all, there was such a thin line between hate and love. Kyoko may loathe him now, but Ren had no idea how she would feel once she realizes that the man who abandoned her was now in love with her as well. Would she accept him with open arms? Would she come to realize that she never stopped loving Sho? Would she completely forget about him?

Ren couldn't do this anymore. With every fiber of his being, he wanted to confess his undying love to her. But there were so many obstacles standing in his way—too many issues that he had to solve not only with her, but also himself. He sighed heavily.

"Is this life's way of telling me I shouldn't?" he murmured quietly. "Should I just give up?"

He glanced up and realized that he had subconsciously arrived at TBM. Most of the lights were off besides for a few rooms, making the building look oddly gloomy and abandoned. There weren't any other cars in the parking lot and it seemed the firemen weren't here yet either. Turning his head to the side, Ren stared down at the open black cell.

He exhaled deeply.

Regardless of the tumultuous feelings roaring within him, there was one emotion that always stood clear. Ren loved her. No matter how many problems were thrown at him, he still wanted her—still needed her. And right now, even if only for a fleeting moment, she needed him just the same. So taking comfort from such a weak and pitiable sentiment, Ren smoothly reached for his cell and brought the device to his ear.

* * *

"HEY!" Kyoko exclaimed angrily as she reached for her phone.

Sho casually tossed it back to her and replied, "He left."

"Really?" she responded, careful to hold the slim device open as to not hang up the call. "Tsuruga-san didn't say anything else?"

Sho narrowed his eyes. "What? Were you expecting him to want to talk to you again?"

"No," she mumbled, conveniently avoiding his calculative eyes.

More than irritated by her pathetic response, Sho roughly sat himself down in the other corner of the elevator and bent both of his knees. He couldn't even look at her.

"What did he say?" Kyoko murmured under her breath.

"What?"

"When you answered! Did he—did he sound angry?"

Sho raised his gaze and met her amber eyes that were now staring at him in apprehension. It never made sense to him why Kyoko worried so much about how Ren felt, especially at times when he and she were together. It was fine for her to avoid him because she didn't want to be around him, but for her to avoid him because of Ren frustrated the musician immensely.

Who cared how that guy felt? This was solely between him and Kyoko. He didn't have a say in the matter at all.

And what pissed Sho off even more was how calm Kyoko was acting now. He preferred her anger over this quiet submission any time. The fact that she was now so subdued because Ren flew in to save the day infuriated him in ways that Sho didn't even think were possible.

He would much rather wait until morning. Sho could handle a few more hours with Kyoko, but to rely on that guy's help was a fate worse than death. He would rather crawl out on four legs than depend on his competition and enemy for anything.

So with an unconcerned sniff, Sho replied, "I don't give a damn. I have more important things to consider than how that guy feels."

Kyoko glared. "Would it kill you to show a little respect? It's thanks to Tsuruga-san that we can get out of here."

Sho looked around the room in mock panic. "Oh dear, are we—are we not in the elevator anymore?" He suddenly snapped his fingers and sneered. "Oh wait, nope. We're still here. So you know what, I'll hold onto my word of thanks when it's deserved."

Kyoko balled her hands into tight fists. It was taking every amount of control she had not to throttle Sho's tiny little neck. Oh, the gratification she'd feel to forever flatten his over-inflated ego. It was the exact kind of therapy she needed right now. But knowing that Ren and the fire department were already on their way, a dead body inside the elevator with her as the only suspect would not be good. So forcing out a deep breath, she sat down and linked her eager hands behind her.

"Forget it," she answered calmly.

He snorted. "Why do you care so much about how he feels anyway?" Sho demanded fearlessly. "Does it really matter if he's mad?"

Kyoko opened her mouth to retort, but oddly came up short. She blinked in confusion at her strange reluctance before she settled back and shook her head. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"Look, I just don't want him to be mad, alright? That's all."

"Why?" Sho pressed crossly. "Why is it so bad if he's angry? What will that do to you? Who cares?"

"I CARE! I DON'T WANT HIM TO BE MAD AT ME!"

"So this is about you?"

"What?" Kyoko spluttered.

"You don't want him to be mad _at you_. That's what you said, right?"

Kyoko nodded unwillingly. "Yeah…so?"

"Then this isn't about him at all. This is about you and how concerned you are about how he feels! YOU'RE STILL A STUPID, LOVE-OBSESSED WOMAN!"

Jumping to her feet, Kyoko stood before him with violently trembling arms as she snarled, "YOU-TAKE-THAT-BACK!"

"No!" Sho replied just as heatedly as he stood up. "The fact that you feel _oh-so-disturbed_ if he's mad at you proves that you have feelings for him!"

"DON'T ASSUME MY EMOTIONS!"

"HOW CAN I NOT WHEN YOU MAKE IT SO DISGUSTINGLY OBVIOUS?"

"I DO NOT LOVE, TSURUGA-SAN!"

"THEN DO YOU CARE ABOUT HIM?"

"YES! IS THAT SO WRONG?"

"AS YOUR SENIOR?"

Kyoko faltered.

Her eyes widened in fear as she realized that she was just about to scream NO. How could that be? Ren was her mentor. He was someone who taught her the rules of the world, both acting and real. She should only be concerned about him as a senior and nothing more. But why was she going to shout no? Why was she unable to say otherwise?

Sho glared at her, his ribcage moving up and down like he had just run a ten mile marathon. He distinctly saw the alarm in her eyes and how she had immediately clammed up at his prying question. That only pissed him off even more.

"So?" he murmured in a dangerously low voice. "Do you?"

Kyoko moved her head, but clearly not in agreement. "I don't have to explain myself to you," she replied in a strained voice.

Sho barked in laughter. "Is that the best you can come up with?"

"Why do _you_ care so much then?" she hissed back.

He blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Why do you care so much about how I feel? So what if I'm concerned about Tsuruga-san! What's it to YOU?"

"I don't—!"

Sho stopped and gritted his teeth together. He knew what she was doing. She was trying to change the subject, but he would be damned to let her get away with it. This wasn't about him and he damn sure wasn't going to give her that kind of satisfaction. He'll force her answer to his questions if he had to, even if it was the last thing he did.

Because Sho wasn't the one who was so obsessed. He wasn't the one who was throwing himself at someone who was so _damn_ infuriating. He wasn't the one in the wrong.

Kyoko still hadn't learned. She thought she had grown up, but it was clear that she hadn't. The fact that she was hung up on this actor clearly proved that she was the same girl before. Sho would not stand for it. If she was going to be her former self, then EVERYTHING will go back to the way it was, just like before.

"The fact that you're avoiding my questions only shows how pathetic you are," he finally said in a hard voice.

"The fact that you're so persistent only shows how desperate you are."

"GOD DAMN IT, KYOKO! YOU'RE SO FUCKING FRUSTRATING!" he hollered.

"I COULD SAY THE SAME ABOUT YOU! STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR LIFE!"

"YEAH RIGHT! THEN WHAT'S WITH ALL THESE BULL-SHIT QUESTIONS?"

"I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT YOUR STUPID OLD SELF!"

"_YOU?_ YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT STUPID?" Kyoko cackled hysterically, her eyes flashing with white fury.

Sho's face instantly paled as he watched pure, unadulterated rage surge around her tense body.

"OH THE IRONY! SHOULD I FLAT OUT THANK YOU NOW, SHOTARO?" she continued in the same thundering voice. "SHOULD I EXPRESS MY SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SELFLESSNESS?"

"That's not what I—!"

"IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU I'M NOT STUPID ANYMORE, RIGHT? YOU SURE SHOWED ME SUCH ACTS OF KINDNESS AFTER USING ME TO YOUR FULL ADVANTAGE AND THEN GRACIOUSLY TOSSING ME ASIDE! I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WOULD EVER FIND ANOTHER GUY LIKE YOU!"

"Kyoko, calm down! I didn't—!"

"YES, YOU DID!" she shrieked. "THANKS TO YOU SHOTARO, I'M NO LONGER STUPID! THANKS TO YOU, I WILL NEVER FALL FOR THOSE STUPID FEELINGS AGAIN! THANKS TO YOU, I COMPLETELY LOST MY FAITH IN OTHERS! THANKS TO YOU, I CAN'T LOVE ANYONE AGAIN! SO YOU KNOW WHAT? THANK YOU, SHOTARO! _THANK YOU FOR SINGLE-HANDEDLY DESTEROYING MY_—!"

Click!

Kyoko immediately fell silent, her eyes widening in sudden alarm at what had just happened.

Groaning in disbelief, Sho ran his hands through his smooth blond hair and mumbled the one word that perfectly summarized the predicament they were now in:

"Fuck."


	5. Determined

Greetings everyone! So here is part 5 of the story and I hope you enjoy it as much as the rest. :D Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

Yashiro graciously tipped the taxi driver and ran across the pavement into the TBM building. Thankfully, the two front doors weren't locked, which meant there must be someone inside the building. He scanned the main the lobby and to his despair saw no one. He turned and dashed down the very first hallway he encountered, but every room was either locked or empty.

Desperate now for any kind of human contact, Yashiro called out loudly, "HELLO? Is anyone here?"

"Yes?"

Thrilled beyond belief, Yashiro spun around and saw a man holding film equipment at the end of the hall. "Can I help you, sir?" he asked politely.

"Yes, I have a serious problem," Yashiro answered as he quickly approached him. "A young girl is stuck in an elevator somewhere in this building."

The man's eyes bulged. "WHAT? Are you sure?"

Yashiro nodded vigorously. "Do you have any way of accessing the elevators?"

"Of course!" he replied, frantically running back towards the lobby. With Yashiro hot on his tail, he led him to a room behind the front desk. After a quick turn of his key, the man opened the heavy door and stepped inside an area filled with multiple small television sets. It was the security room.

He flipped the light switch and instantly turned on a computer that would not belong in any normal home. With fingers flying across the black keyboard, he concentrated on the screen while Yashiro watched with anxious curiosity over his shoulder. Many different windows popped up in a coded language that most people would probably not understand, but the crewman seemed to have no problem deciphering its cryptic message.

"THERE!" the man suddenly exclaimed. "Elevator 4. It seems there is a problem with the electrical wires."

"That's it! She must be in that one."

"I'll call the fire department," the man informed as he reached for the phone upon the desk.

"No need," Yashiro answered with a raised hand. "I have a friend who already did. He's on his way now."

The man nodded. "Do you know who's in the elevator, sir?"

"Yes, her name is Mogami Kyoko."

"KYOKO?" he repeated in alarm.

Yashiro raised an eyebrow. "You know her?"

"Yes! I talked to her a little over an hour ago. I thought she was on her way home after completing Kimagure Rock."

Furrowing his eyebrows at the name, Yashiro asked, "Kimagure Rock?"

The man nodded, confused by Yashiro's reaction.

"Isn't that a reality show?" he asked. "I didn't know she was a participant. What role does she play?"

The man's eyes widened as he realized his grave mistake. He couldn't believe how careless he was! Her identity was supposed to be kept a secret! So shaking his head in obvious agitation at his slip up, he replied hastily, "Actually it's not really—! Just forget what I said! I can't—"

But at that precise moment, the chime of an opened door pulled Yashiro's attention away from the flustered crewman. He quickly walked out of the room and saw Ren enter with the phone pressed to his ear.

"Ren, did you—?"

He froze as he caught the look on his friend's face.

* * *

"Kyoko, relax!" Sho exclaimed anxiously as he turned to her.

But it was if she didn't hear him at all. Kyoko pushed herself into a corner, feeling the darkness swallow her up whole. The only light that shone within the elevator was now the feeble glow of her cell phone that laid face-up upon the floor. But it wasn't the pitch blackness that scared Kyoko. It was the prospect of what was going to happen next. First it was the buttons, now it was the lights. What in the world was going to come next?

Wrapping her arms around her slim body, Kyoko slid down onto the floor. She had never experienced a panic attack before, but she was positive that that was what she was having. Her lungs were expanding so rapidly that they couldn't take in enough air and her body trembled out of control. Odd noises escaped her lips as she unconsciously shook her head back and forth.

Sho quickly leaned down, having no idea what to do. His first instinct was to hold her, but he was afraid his touch will only scare her even more. Besides, he had never consoled a girl before! This was completely out of his area of expertise. He knew how to make a girl stop crying in instant, but the ability to reassure her that nothing will go wrong completely eluded him.

Even without sufficient light, he could easily see the paleness of her skin. She was breaking out into a sweat and if he didn't do something fast, she might go into complete shock. So fiercely pushing his anxiety away, Sho scooted closer to her and was about to reach out a hand when a muffled voice suddenly called:

"Mogami-san? Are you there?"

He looked down at the open cell phone and pressed his lips into a thin line. That guy certainly had impeccable timing. Whether that was a good or a bad thing, Sho was still debating. But aware that there were other important matters at hand, he reached for the device and pushed the button for the speaker phone.

"Where's the fire department, Tsuruga?"

A tiny moment of silence ensued before he answered in a somewhat tight voice, "They're on their way now. Where's Mogami-san?"

"Well, you better fucking hope they're coming in the next second."

"Why? What happened? What's going on?"

"Tsuruga-san…"

Ren's heart plummeted to the pit of his stomach at the sound of her weak voice. With fear rushing through his veins like ice-cold water, he asked in haste, "What's wrong, Mogami-san? Are you hurt?"

"I'm scared," she whispered. "It's too dark in here, Tsuruga-san."

"The lights went out?"

"You got it genius," Sho retorted. "Now where are the damn firemen?"

Ren pushed through the TBM doors and saw Yashiro step out of a room, his greeting falling short at the obvious worry in Ren's expression. He paced the room and frantically turned back to the parking lot. Straining to hear the siren of fire trucks and coming up with nothing, Ren roughly ran his hand through his hair in distress. He had never felt so powerless in his life. The need to protect Kyoko was painful, but what could he do?

And as if she had read his mind, Kyoko chided in an agonizingly soft voice, "Stop it, Shotaro. Tsuruga-san has already done everything he could."

Even through the phone, Ren could hear the shakiness of her voice. It physically hurt him to listen to her. Kyoko's normally strong, sweet voice was now reduced to barely a whisper. He presumed she was probably having an anxiety attack. A small, dark room with no windows or a way out could bring anyone to their knees, let alone someone as fragile as Kyoko. So desperate to do anything to alleviate her fear, he said in the calmest voice he could muster, "Mogami-san, I need you listen to me, alright?"

Kyoko weakly extended a hand to Sho who reluctantly dropped the phone into the palm of her hand. Bringing it closer to her face, she murmured, "Yes, Tsuruga-san."

"Good. Now, I want you to put your head in between your knees and take in deep, slow breaths. Can you do that?"

She nodded subconsciously and did as she was told. Ren heard her sharp intake of breath and then the slow, wobbly exhale. Breath after breath, he listened intently for any change and to his relief heard her breathing get a tiny bit stronger after each one.

Finally, Kyoko sighed and raised her head. "Now what?"

Ren flashed a small, amused smile at her compliant tone. Even at a time like this, her willingness to follow orders was absolutely miraculous. "Now, I just need you to keep talking to me," Ren answered. "Forget about everything around you and just focus on my voice, okay?"

Smiling weakly, Kyoko leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. She took in another deep breath and replied, "Sure Tsuruga-san, what do you want to talk about?"

"Tell me about your day."

"Not going well so far," she joked feebly.

Ren let out a light chuckle just as the two front doors swung open and a crew of firemen rushed in. But just as he was about to turn to them, Yashiro stepped forward and waved him to continue talking. He led the firemen into the security room to show them the problem.

Grateful for his friend's quick response, Ren turned back to the phone and assured, "It can only go up from here, right?"

She laughed breathlessly and murmured, "I would rather go down, but yes, I see your point."

He smiled. "What did you do this morning? Were you filming for Box R?"

"Yeah, we had to finish some of the bullying scenes."

"How'd you do?"

"I think I was okay."

"Did the director ask for any retakes?"

"No, he didn't."

"Then I think that's better than okay, isn't it?"

Kyoko smiled and shook her head, feeling her still-trembling heart flutter happily at his praise.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ren noticed a fireman signaling to follow him up the stairs. With a curt nod, he dashed behind him and asked into the receiver, "What else, Mogami-san? What did you do after Box R?" He had to keep Kyoko talking so that she wouldn't have to think about anything else.

"Um, I had lunch," she scrambled, trying to think of something interesting to say.

"That's good," Ren commented as he kept his voice steady even though he was full-on running. He had no idea where he was going, but he could hear the sturdy thuds of the other firemen behind him. "What'd you eat?"

"Some rice, steamed vegetables, and teriyaki chicken."

"Did you like it?"

Kyoko crinkled her nose. "The rice was a little too soft for my taste."

Chuckling quietly at her humble criticism, Ren replied, "I like mushy rice. It's easier to swallow."

"Sure, when it's the texture of baby food."

"Good point," Ren conceded as he followed the leader through a door. They had reached the fifth floor.

"What about you?" Kyoko asked, taking in a less shaky breath. "What did you eat?"

Ren stood before a line of elevators and watched the rest of the firemen make their way around the fourth machine. "I had chicken salad. It was actually quite delicious." His lips suddenly curved into a warm smile. "I'll take you there sometime. I think you'll like it."

"Did you finish the salad?"

"Yeah, every single bite."

Kyoko let out a quiet laugh. "Then I have to try it. It must be good."

Ren's heart swelled. It still amazed him how Kyoko so easily understood his ways, like his pickiness with food. Even though they had only known each other for a year, she knew facts about him that other people who had known him for a longer period of time did not. Ren took so much satisfaction from that thought. If nothing else, at least they shared that.

"Tsuruga-san?" she murmured.

"Yes, Mogami-san?"

"Thank you."

He smiled ruefully. "Don't thank me yet. I haven't gotten you out of there."

Shaking her head, Kyoko replied, "Regardless, thank you. I feel a lot better now."

Already, the firemen were forcefully pulling the silver doors open. He watched in fascination at their surprising ease and strength. It didn't look like they needed to try at all. Once the doors were pulled apart, Ren saw nothing but a room of darkness, lined with thick cables. He leaned forward and looked down. His jaw dropped open in alarm.

But quickly shaking his head, Ren said into the receiver, "Mogami-san, the firemen are here now and they have just opened the elevator doors. It seems that the elevator you're sitting in stopped right underneath the sixth floor. Now, I'm going to put you on speaker phone so you and Fuwa can hear what they have to say, okay?"

"Okay," Kyoko replied, opening her eyes and turning to Sho who was now looking at her with an expression she didn't quite understand. But he silently scooted closer to her when she motioned him over with a tip of her head.

"Mogami-san and Fuwa-san is it?" a deep voice asked.

"Yes sir," Kyoko replied.

Sho merely grunted.

"My name is Hisao Akio and I'm the head fireman. How are you two holding up in there?"

"Okay," Kyoko answered honestly. "Thank you for coming, Hisao-san."

Sho remained silent.

"Not a problem. Now, I'm afraid we're going to need both of your help to get you out of there. Is that alright with you?"

"Whatever you need, Hisao-san."

He nodded. "Now as Tsuruga-san mentioned earlier, the elevator did not fully arrive onto the desired floor so we will have to throw you a rope in order to pull you out."

"How far down are we?" Sho asked.

"From my estimation, about 20 feet."

"So what would you like us to do, Hisao-san?"

"I need you and Fuwa-san to pull the elevator doors open as much as you can. It will take quite some effort, but they only need to be wide enough so that one person can fit through. Do you think you can do that?"

Sho and Kyoko looked at each other, their expressions saying it all. They were going to get out tonight, no matter what. He fluidly rose to his feet and reached out a large hand. "Ready?"

She stared at his outstretched gesture with wide eyes for quite some time, rooted to the spot in total silence at his odd camaraderie. But with renewed vigor from the confident look in his eyes, Kyoko willingly placed her hand in his and said in an equally strong voice, "Let's do this."

She placed the phone face-up onto the floor beside her and stood on one side of the silver doors while Sho stood on the other. They both got a good grip of the door by inserting their fingers into the large slit that ran straight down the middle.

"On the count of three," Sho said.

Kyoko nodded. "One."

"Two."

"THREE!"

Grunting with effort, Sho and Kyoko pulled until their arms shook from the sheer force of it. And their great effort pulled off as the doors creaked open and began to pull away from each other, inch by inch. They both couldn't help the grin that spread across their face. They even gave each other a slight nod of encouragement to put every bit of strength they had in the next few pulls.

Then with one last, final tug, they tiredly let go and slumped back against the wall, breathing harder than before. The space was wide enough to fit one person and a half. Not bad for two entertainers.

Kyoko wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "We did it."

Nodding, Sho pushed his hair from out of his eyes and said, "Let's get out of here."

They simultaneously looked through the opening and were greeted with quite a sight. The darkness in the elevator didn't even compare to the darkness outside. Who knew that there could actually be varying shades of black? The cold air and echoic surroundings did nothing to alleviate their anxiety. It was just as scary as they thought it would be, maybe even more. But as they turned their heads upward, both Sho and Kyoko felt the color drain from their face as they saw the distance they would have to climb:

Twenty feet of perilous doom.


	6. Rescued

Hi everyone! So I sincerely want to apologize for my lack of knowledge about how a true situation like this will fan out. I'm not too sure about how elevator-rescues would work, but nevertheless, I thank you for reading this story anyway. If there is any confusion, please feel free to voice them and I will try my best to clear anything up. Thank you again for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Good job, you two!" Hisao complimented with a thumbs up. "That's perfect!"

Kyoko and Sho looked up at him and gave a single nod in response, unable to say much else in fear of what may come out of their mouth if they did. With the doors open, the probability of being stuck was now zero, but the possibility of falling hundreds of feet was almost certain. In fact, they had half a mind to stay inside the elevator instead of facing this new, imminent danger.

But when Kyoko glanced up again, her eyes suddenly brightened when she saw a familiar face gazing down at her. Ren, who was a good head taller than Hisao, stood beside the lead fireman with an expression of both concern and gentle encouragement. Wearing a dark long coat and a navy sweater, he flashed her a tender smile that seemed to flood straight to her fingertips. Kyoko smiled shyly in return, realizing more and more how lucky she was to have a mentor like him looking out for her.

When Ren finally found the will power to look away from Kyoko's equally warm gaze, his eyes trailed to the man who was standing closer to her than he would have liked. Sho barely acknowledged his presence, but the look upon his face said plenty. He wasn't thrilled to see him and neither was Ren.

"Alright, I'm going to toss the rope down now," Hisao informed as he held a thick white rope within his hands. "Grab onto the end!"

Sho extended a long arm outward and caught the tip of the cord when it came down. He pulled a couple feet into the elevator and set it upon the floor. "Now what?" he asked, sticking his head outside once more.

"We will pull you up one at a time. Tie the rope around your waist and use the silver hooks to secure it. There's plenty of rope left so wrap it around your body a few times. Make sure to wind it up as tight as possible."

Sho turned back into the elevator and saw the panic in Kyoko's eyes. But with a defiant shake of her head, she tightened her jaw and narrowed her eyes in pure determination. "I can do this," she almost growled.

He smirked. "I never said you couldn't."

She glared and put her hands on her hips, unconvinced.

"Alright then," Sho said with a nonchalant roll of his shoulders as if he was stretching for a measly little run. "Ladies first?"

Kyoko stepped forward, but suddenly faltered when he extended the rope towards her.

"What's wrong?" he asked at her reluctance.

She nibbled on her bottom lip, murmuring, "I don't really know how to do this."

"You want me to go first?"

Kyoko didn't reply.

Sho laughed and shook his head. "Wow, you want me to set an example?"

"No, I want to see what mistakes you'll make and avoid them."

Normally he would retort angrily at her wise-ass comment, but thankful that her fiery personality had returned, he merely shrugged and said, "Well, that is a possibility."

"Don't die, Shotaro."

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I would say you're concerned about me."

"Dream on. I would rather not witness a death right before my eyes. It's bad luck."

He stared at her in surprise until an amused chuckle escaped his lips. "All the more reason not to die," Sho replied.

Kyoko narrowed her eyes suspiciously, unable to understand his bizarre cheeriness. She was on pins and needles, but he seemed completely unaffected by what was going on. It was as if he wasn't scared at all. Somewhat amazed by his blatant courage (although she would be damned to admit it), she gestured for him to go with a flail of her hand.

He wrapped the rope around his torso at least three times before hooking it to his jeans and tying such a thick knot that it looked like he was about to get dragged out by a boat. Sho raised an eyebrow, seeking Kyoko's approval. She nodded. "I think even that will support your giant head."

"Watch it," he murmured in a low voice. "Or you're going up there first."

Kyoko sneered. "Too late."

Ushering him out of the room, she watched him stick his head out and call, "Looks like I'm first."

"Alright Fuwa-san, is the rope tightly secured?"

He nodded.

"Good, now we're going to apply some tension on the rope. Don't move."

Sho watched Hisao turn around to his men and call, "Everyone, your positions!"

"Yes sir!"

With one fluid tug, the rope was no longer a bundle at his feet, but now a tense cord that led outside of the elevator. Sho then casually turned around and saw Kyoko looking at him with wide eyes. "You alright?" he asked.

Kyoko shook her head.

"Are you actually getting nervous for me?"

"Of course not!" she retorted angrily. "I'm just—thinking when it's my turn."

He scoffed. "Don't worry. I'll slip up a bit so you don't have to feel so bad for yourself."

"Not funny, Shotaro!"

"Really? I thought it was hilarious," he replied, casually checking the knot once more.

"Sho—!"

"Fuwa-san, are you ready?"

"Yeah!" Sho called as he stood in front of the opening.

"Now, do you see those poles in front of you?" Hisao asked loudly.

Sho nodded.

"I want you to firmly grab hold onto those and plant your feet against the wall as much as you can. Then very slowly, walk up the wall, like mountain-climbing. Use the poles as a guide. Do you understand?"

"Got it," Sho answered, his face screwed up in concentration. He may not have the arms of a professional wrestler, but he could certainly hold his own. The poles weren't the sturdiest and they were rustier than he would have liked, but he was in no position to complain. Sho stretched his fingers and gauged the distance from the wall to the elevator. All he had to do was lean over to reach.

Taking in a deep breath, he kept his feet at the very edge and extended both hands to the poles. He gripped the cylinders until his fingers hurt. Then very slowly, he lifted one leg and planted it against the wall. The rope powerfully tensed, reassuring him that the firemen will be able to keep him elevated. Without daring to prolong the anxious wait, Sho removed his other foot from the elevator until he was gripping the wall with all four limbs.

"That's it, Fuwa-san!" Hisao yelled encouragingly. "Now slowly walk up! But take your time!"

He grunted in response.

At what he felt was like a snail's pace, Sho kept his eyes on the dark wall before him. He didn't want to look up and didn't DARE to look down. As his hand reached higher, his foot stepped higher, continuing the same steady motion. But even though he was making good progress, twenty feet was feeling a lot like a hundred feet.

"Almost there, Fuwa-san! You're doing great!"

Hisao's voice sounded a lot closer, obviously strained, but definitely closer. Sho decided to take a glance and realized he had just a few more feet. With a new surge of adrenaline, he gripped the poles with greater ferocity and lengthened each step. His arms were starting to burn and the soles of his feet ached from all the pressure, but Sho continued on without complaint.

Then, from his peripheral vision, he saw a brighter light above him and knew that he was right at the top. But just as he was about to reach up to grip the edge of the floor, an arm was suddenly extended in front of his face.

Sho looked up in surprise.

Out of all people to help him, he couldn't believe it was him. Ren had reached down with a steady hand, no sense of reluctance or distaste. No smile graced his lips and his eyes were practically expressionless. But one thing was evident: sincerity was his only intent. Sho had no idea what to do at first. Of course, he naturally didn't want to take it, but something inside of him instantly rejected that notion. Somehow, showing animosity right at that moment will only prove he was weaker and he would be damned to do that.

So, with a slightly clenched jaw, Sho willingly accepted his help. Ren's powerful strength even surprised him when he found himself practically lifted onto the vinyl floor without a single grunt. He couldn't help but look at the actor with suspicion when he rose to his feet, but Ren only gave him a nod in return.

"Good job, Fuwa-san," Hisao complimented as he walked forward and clapped a hand upon his shoulder. "Couldn't have done it better myself."

Sho shook his head and replied, "Nothing to it."

But instantly remembering who he had left behind, he turned around and already saw Ren looking back into the elevator, his neck craning farther in. Hisao flashed Sho another smile before going back and calling down, "Mogami-san! You alright down there?"

Kyoko, who was already leaning out of the elevator, gave a quick nod.

"Alright, now I want you to do exactly as Fuwa-san did, okay? Secure the rope tightly around your waist and take your time. There's no need to rush. Here comes the rope!"

Kyoko quickly grabbed onto the thick white cord and pulled it inside the elevator. Her heart was in over-drive by now. She had watched Sho climb with abated breath, praying silently that he would reach the top. And when she saw Ren help him, her eyes widened in surprise. Although she knew that he would offer a helping hand to just about anyone, that didn't take away the sheer power from seeing it happen before her eyes. His kindness, even towards Sho, solidly established the maturity she had always envied.

She wound the rope around her tiny waist as many times as its length could possibly allow and clasped the metal hooks into the belt loop of her jeans. Tugging, Kyoko was satisfied with its tightness and wiped the palm of her hands upon her jeans. Sweaty hands were certainly not going to help. And remembering to breathe in deeply, she closed her eyes for just a few moments before opening them with new-found energy. She could do this.

"You got it, Mogami-san?" Hisao called.

"Ready!"

The rope instantly pulled into a tense cord. Kyoko stood before the wall, running her eyes over the long poles before her. Another deep breath and she steadily reached out a hand. She was able to grip the poles without too much trouble, although she couldn't help but have a vain wish that the elevator was a little closer. Of course, if she really did have a wish, she would have wished to be on solid ground instead.

"That's it, Mogami-san," Hisao called down. "Get a firm grip and gently plant your feet against the wall."

She nodded. Kyoko fully leaned onto the poles and slowly moved one foot until she felt stable. Then very carefully, she removed her other leg until she hung horizontally with nothing but the rope and her own strength holding her up. Kyoko breathed through her nose deeply before she reached higher, lifting her leg in the same motion.

Already, her muscles burned. She gritted her teeth together and tried to ignore the ache, but the tiniest movement had them begging for relief. Kyoko smiled grimly. She really needed to hit the gym after this, if she survived.

Instantly scolding herself for such a thought, Kyoko sucked in another breath and reached forward. The pain of the rope around her waist was oddly comforting. The more it bit into her skin, the more she realized it was successfully holding her up.

But as she reached her hand further up the long rusty pole, Kyoko didn't realize that she had reached for the weakest section. And as soon as she gripped the rusty metal, the pole gave way, causing her feet to lose grip of the wall.

"KYOKO!"

She gasped involuntarily at the sound of her name and fell a few feet, before the rope around her waist painfully jerked her back up. She heard the grunts of the firemen and the anxious voice of Hisao telling her to hold on. Kyoko frantically reached out and clutched the poles in front of her once more, feeling her heart beat sporadically in her chest. Her thin legs were weakly planted against the wall again as she tried to regain her breathing.

"Kyoko! Are you alright?"

Slowly, she raised her head.

Although the plummet had certainly scared the living daylights out of her, there was something that she didn't miss. She stared up at his anxious gaze and saw him hanging precariously over the edge as if he was trying with all of his might to reach her. His own safety didn't seem to matter to him at all. Kyoko swallowed the odd heavy lump in her throat and nodded, hoping to ease the concern etched in his handsome face.

It didn't pass her notice that he murmured her real name. Even now, her eyes widen at the thought of it as she gingerly made her way back up. Her heartbeat was calmer now, but every once in a while it would tremble dangerously whenever she remembered his deep voice calling out to her.

He had never said her name before, not once in the whole year they had known each other. Although Kyoko was smart enough to know that it was probably on impulse, she couldn't dismiss the butterflies that were fluttering around uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach. She had never heard her name spoken so loudly before. She had never heard him speak her name so passionately before.

"Mogami-san!" Hisao suddenly called. "Easy does it, okay? Don't worry! We got you!"

Kyoko didn't have the strength to reply. She just steadily made her way up, feeling her knees shake from something other than muscle weakness. Finally, she saw bright white lights from out of the corner of her eye. She was almost there.

Looking up, Kyoko nearly felt her heart leap out of her chest when she noticed how close he was. He fluidly reached out both arms for her, his warm brown eyes enveloping her in a blanket of security. Without hesitation, she climbed those last few steps and reached a slender hand for his.

Like a rush of wind, she was effortlessly pulled into his broad chest. Kyoko felt the solid ground underneath her feet and heard the cheer of the firemen behind her, but none of it registered into her consciousness. With her cheek pressed against his smooth sweater and his powerful arms wrapped around her slim waist, Kyoko only noticed him. His anxiety and eventual relief flowed through her, showing just how scared he was for her safety. She closed her eyes in content and placed both of her hands onto his muscled chest.

He nuzzled his face into her hair and murmured, "Thank god, you're safe."

Kyoko could only nod as she tightly gripped the front of his shirt with her hands. Unable to say anything else, she allowed herself to relax in his sweet embrace, unconsciously wishing that he would never let go.


	7. Restless

Hi everyone! I'm so pleased you all enjoyed the "rescue" chapter. I always love writing out Ren and Kyoko's interactions, warms me up every time. LOL. Well, I hope you enjoy this new chapter as much as the others. Thanks again! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

"Are you hurting anywhere, Fuwa-san?"

…

"Fuwa-san?"

Sho blinked and turned to the man kneeling before him. "What?"

"Are you alright?" the paramedic asked worriedly. "You seem a little…out if it."

Shaking his head, Sho jumped off the bench and replied in a hard voice, "I'm fine."

The brown-haired man furrowed his eyebrows and rose to his feet. It was clear that the musician was not fine. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw tightened like he was in pain, and the obvious frustration that swirled around his body could not be ignored. Although he didn't see any scrapes or scratches, the paramedic would bet his life on it that there was something bothering the young man.

But before he could insist on trying to help, Sho had already started to walk away down the hall.

"Wait , Fuwa-san! I haven't checked—!"

With an irritated flick of his hand, he brushed the paramedic's words away without another thought. He couldn't stand the scrutiny of his gaze anymore. It took nearly everything he had not to tell him to back the fuck off. Of course, Sho realized how unreasonable he was being. The man was only doing his job.

But that didn't change the fact that Sho was pissed, more so than he had ever felt in his life. He could feel his head throb as if someone was pounding his brain with a meat cleaver. The tension in his shoulders and hands screamed for relief, but he had no idea what to do. Sho could find no solution to appease his blinding fury.

Just thinking about it had him scowling in frustration. The way he held her, the way he looked at her, and even more infuriatingly the way she looked back at him made the musician's blood boil like mad. He didn't give a damn that Ren had saved them both. He didn't give a damn that he was just being helpful.

All Sho cared about was that Ren touched someone who didn't belong to him.

Any fool could see that he did not treat her like the pupil he claimed her to be. He held her as if she was more. He smiled at her as if she was the only person he saw. Sho could see his intentions in his every move. Kyoko may be oblivious to them all, but he saw right through that guy's ruse.

So as he determinedly made his way down the hall towards the lobby, Sho could feel his rage pulse throughout his body. Fuck, Ren's status or age. He didn't care that he would be over-stepping his boundaries. All he could think about was setting that guy straight. No one was going to snatch Kyoko from him. She made it clear that her only goal was to beat him and Sho would be damned to let anyone distract her—especially Ren.

Thus, it didn't surprise the musician at all to see him standing by the wall. Leaning against the flat structure with his arms crossed over his chest, Ren stared down at his feet as if he was deep in thought. Sho could feel the scowl upon his lips deepen at the mere sight of him. While he was reeling with relentless rage, Ren stood with a calmness and grace that made him grit his teeth together in agitation. Did he always have to be so damn composed?

But refusing to lose, Sho loudly cleared his throat and took a step forward.

Ren raised his head at the odd sound, his eyes ridden with curiosity until his gaze met the stone-cold person before him. Fluidly straightening up, he removed himself from the wall and stood in front of him with an expression that chilled like ice.

At his full height, Ren certainly emanated an aura of unrelenting power. Sho had tried to get a fight out of him once and in the end failed miserably when he was dismissed like a nuisance. But this time around would be different. Right now, Sho had better reasons to retaliate—more important reasons than his own ego.

So feeling his lips curl into an angry snarl, Sho narrowed his icy-blue eyes and demanded in a low voice, "We need to talk."

* * *

Kyoko patiently sat on the bench, folding her hands onto her lap as she watched the firemen run about. Although the big issue was now over and done with, they wanted to get the elevator up and running to avoid any other problems. They moved around at lightning speed, all with a purpose and a place to be.

But as she casually turned her head to the side, she saw a red-haired female paramedic walk up to her with a friendly smile upon her face. Kyoko smiled back tentatively and watched her kneel before her. "Hello Mogami-san. My name is Noki Ryoko and I'm here to check up on you. How do you feel?"

"Nice to meet you, Noki-san, and I feel fine," Kyoko replied with a reassuring smile.

"No headaches? Anxiety? Pain?"

Kyoko shook her head.

"Did you hurt yourself at all while they were helping you up?"

Instantly, her cheeks flushed scarlet as his handsome face came floating back. She thought she was finally able to push the memory to the back of her mind, but clearly that wasn't the case. The slightest mention had her heart constricting painfully against her chest.

"Mogami-san?" Ryoko asked at the young girl's frozen stance. "Is something wrong?"

"Uh—! Yes, I-I-I'm fine. I guess I'm still a little shaken up."

She nodded sympathetically. "Well, I'm not surprised. It must have been a frightening ordeal. I'm not exactly a big fan of cramped, dark places either."

"Yeah," Kyoko mumbled, careful to avert her eyes to hide her unease. "It wasn't how I wanted to spend my Friday night."

Ryoko laughed. "Of course not! You probably had a date or something."

"WHAT?" Kyoko nearly shrieked. "No! No! No date! I just had other plans. That's all! I swear!"

Widening her eyes in alarm at Kyoko's pitchy voice, Ryoko only gave a tiny shake of her head and giggled. "Must be some pretty important plans."

"Well I—!"

"Hey you two!"

More than grateful for the new distraction, Kyoko turned towards the eager voice and saw Hisao happily waving at her in greeting. She waved back. Everything must have checked out well with security now that he was here.

So with all the previous drama from earlier gone, Kyoko was now able to observe the friendly fireman at a closer distance and realized he reminded him very much of an older uncle of sorts. He had a few strands of white hair around his sideburns and wrinkles around his mouth, but it was evident that those were all laugh lines. Of course, as a fireman, there was an undeniable strength that he exuded, but at the same time, Hisao naturally expressed a lively youth about him as well. He was probably quite the looker in his younger years.

"Is everything alright?" he asked as he walked towards Kyoko, but directed the question to Ryoko.

"Mogami-san is just fine," she answered with a nod. "Her nerves may be a little frayed, but nothing a little rest won't fix. I advise you to go home as soon as you can, alright?"

Kyoko moved her head obediently as Hisao said, "That's good to hear. Thank you again for coming, Ryoko-san."

"Not a problem," she replied, placing a friendly hand upon his muscled arm. "Well, I don't think you need me anymore so you both have a good night, okay?"

So with one last farewell, the paramedic made her way down the brightly-lit hall and left the two alone. Hisao then comfortably took a seat besides Kyoko and flashed her a fatherly smile. "How you holding up?"

She smiled kindly in return and answered, "Great, thank you so much for everything, Hisao-san. I'm sure I would be in much worse shape if you and the other firemen hadn't been there."

"I'm just doing my job, Mogami-san. There's no need to thank me for that."

Kyoko frowned and shook her head. "Nevertheless, you saved my life, Hisao-san," she argued. "There's no way I can express my gratitude."

Chuckling, he patted Kyoko's slender hand and responded, "I'm not the only one who came."

"Right, the other firemen too."

He laughed and shook his head. "Aren't you forgetting someone important, Mogami-san?"

Her face blanched.

Hisao laughed in amusement and leaned over his knees to stare up at her from under his lashes. "He was the one who actually pulled you out," he added with a grin, pleased to see that his suspicions were true. The minute he watched Ren hold Kyoko in his arms, Hisao knew that there was something special between the two actors. It didn't take a genius to see that the look in the young man's eyes was more than just relief that Kyoko was safe. As a matter of fact, it was clear that she meant more to him than he let known.

Kyoko instinctively turned away from Hisao's amused gaze and looked down at her hands that were now tightly clasped together. Her knuckles were turning stark white and she was quickly losing the feeling in her fingers. If only she could lose the feeling of weakness in her knees. Thank goodness she was sitting down.

"Are you and Tsuruga-san close, Mogami-san?" Hisao suddenly asked, deciding to let her breathe just a bit, regardless of how much fun he was having making her fidget. Nothing was as amusing as a girl who was blinded to her suitor's feelings as well as her own, but he also realized how sensitive the topic may be. Kyoko was still so young after all.

She swallowed the heavy lump in her throat and replied shakily, "I-I-I-I wouldn't say that, Hisao-san. He's just my senior at the agency we work at."

"So you met through acting?"

She nodded. "Tsuruga-san has been more than helpful to me. I don't think I could have gotten here without him."

"Well, it's obvious that he cares about you."

She turned to him with wide eyes. "What do you mean?" Kyoko asked hoarsely.

Hisao smiled happily. "He sounded very concerned when I got his call. I could practically feel his anxiety pouring through the phone. To be honest, I thought he was your boyfriend at first."

"BOYFRIEND?"

Vigorously shaking her head, Kyoko jumped to her feet and turned towards Hisao with eyes that seemed to be popping out of her head. "You're absolutely mistaken, Hisao-san! Tsuruga-san and I aren't anything of the sort! We're not even friends! He's my mentor and I'm just someone who follows his advice. That's all!"

"Not even friends?" he asked curiously.

Kyoko shook her head. "Not even friends."

"Hmm, that's…shocking."

"It is?"

Hisao nodded and said, "I know it's not my place, Mogami-san, but I can hardly believe that the both of you only have a teacher-student relationship. To be frank, I don't think Tsuruga-san sees you that way at all."

There was no way she could explain it. Instead of feeling blatant horror surge at his dangerous words, all Kyoko felt was this odd curiosity and almost pleasure flow throughout her. She knew that Hisao couldn't be farther from the truth. He didn't understand the kind of relationship that existed between her and Ren. He was, after all, a stranger to this whole situation, but Kyoko couldn't dismiss her desire to know what he meant.

He smiled, seeing the interest sparkle in her amber eyes. "I walked in while he was talking to you on the phone," Hisao continued casually. "It sounded like you were extremely distraught."

She nodded, murmuring, "I was."

"Now, I can't say I know Tsuruga-san on any kind of personal level, but I doubt he would have been so attentive to everyone. In fact, he seemed to know exactly what to say to you."

Kyoko looked down at her feet, unable to reply. She clearly remembered how his soothing voice brought her back from the edge of outright terror. Although she was not proud of her foolish reaction, Kyoko couldn't help but be comforted from the fact that Ren hadn't judged her. It was clear that he only wanted to help her—that he sincerely worried about her.

And what was even more astonishing was that he effortlessly understood what she needed when even she herself had no idea. Ren gently coaxed her back into a relaxing state without ever once making her feel inferior or pathetic.

Ren truly did know her well.

"Not to mention," the fireman added, breaking through her reverie, "he seemed quite gentle with you when he pulled you out of there."

In an instant, Kyoko flushed scarlet. She could still feel his strong arms around her, the steady thumps of his heart underneath the palm of her hand, and the warmth that emanated from his chest. Even though it was certainly not a proper position for her to be in, Kyoko couldn't deny the fact that she felt incredibly safe with him. His arms were like her new safe haven.

She also didn't disregard the fact that she had returned his embrace. Her action was practically on instinct. The will to let him go just would not come. But that didn't have to mean anything...did it?

Hisao smiled sympathetically as he watched Kyoko's eyes glaze over in thought. She unconsciously nibbled on her lower lip and switched from foot to foot. It was clear that she felt agitated. In fact, Hisao could practically see what she was thinking from her facial expressions. Kyoko was very much like an open book.

But aware that it certainly wasn't his place to interfere in her personal life, he let out a quiet chuckle which pulled her attention back to his face. He smiled gentlyy and murmured, "Well Mogami-san, I don't want to go and put any thoughts in your head. Those are just merely my observations so you certainly don't have to take them to heart."

Kyoko didn't reply.

"Though, I do stand by what I say," he said with a wink at her silence.

She laughed shakily and ran a hand through her hair. "Well I appreciate you telling me anyway, Hisao-san," Kyoko replied good-naturedly.

He laughed. "Then I think that's enough talking on my part. And since everything has been checked out, you should probably go on home. I'll have your belongings sent to you, is that okay?"

"That'll be perfect."

"Then go on and make your way downstairs. I believe Tsuruga-san is waiting for you to take you home."

Kyoko nodded, feeling her throat close up again at the mention of his name. But quickly bowing low in farewell, she said, "Thank you again, Hisao-san. For everything."

He stood up and warmly patted her on the shoulder. "Not a problem, Mogami-san. Have a good night, alright?"

"Thank you, and you too."

After one last polite smile for the fireman, Kyoko turned around and made her way down the hall, her heart still hammering loudly against her chest. She needed to get a grip. Too many things were happening at once and at this rate, she was going to have another panic attack. This wasn't the time to think about this. She had more important things to focus on.

Besides, Hisao said it himself. It was just his thoughts. That didn't make them true and tonight was certainly a once in a lifetime experience. Ren wasn't normally like this with her. Not to mention, she was pretty shaken up as well.

Kyoko smiled in relief and nodded. That was exactly it. She shouldn't take anything that happened today to heart. Not only was it an extremely hectic day, but she was still a little freaked out from what happened. Once she got some rest, she would be able to think clearly and all of these intense emotions will fade.

"_Everything is normal. I don't have to worry. My nerves are just frayed, like Noki-san said. Nothing's changed. I'm fine."_

Feeling slightly calmer now, Kyoko took in a deep breath and was about to turn a corner on the first floor when she suddenly froze at the sight before her. Without a second thought, she instantly hid and pressed herself against the wall.

Kyoko couldn't believe it. Ren and Sho were talking—together. She had never seen the two interact before and it didn't take much for her to realize that they weren't just being friendly. The entire hallway practically crackled with tension.

But before Kyoko could think another thought, she suddenly heard:

"No more damn pretenses, Tsuruga."

"And what pretenses would those be?"

A dark laugh echoed off the walls.

"Just fucking say it. You love Kyoko, don't you?"


	8. Confronted

Hi everyone! I'm so happy that you guys liked the new "conflict." To be frank, I had no idea that my story would align with what was happening currently with the manga. I had this written out a couple of days before the new chapter came out so I was pleasantly surprised to see it in the real story. LOL. Although, I do hope Ren says something of consequence to Sho when the next chapter is updated. But nevertheless, thank you for the great reviews and I hope you enjoy this installment! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

Ren didn't react at first. He didn't reply at all, but it wasn't surprise that had clamped his mouth shut. It was suspicion—suspicion that Sho had demanded an answer to a question they both knew.

He had never once said in words how he felt about Kyoko. Ren strictly kept those sentiments silent; even Yashiro had never heard him speak of those feelings before. But as the musician glowered at him, Ren realized that answering with nothing but a simple "yes" was nowhere near sufficient. In fact, there would never be enough words to express just how deeply he felt for the young actress.

So smiling gently, he shook his head and replied, "I feel more than just love, Fuwa."

That answer did not please Sho. In truth, it practically flamed the fire that burned within him as his fingers dug painfully into the palm of his hand.

"You don't even know her," he said in an ice-cold voice. "It's only been a year. How can you even claim to have such strong feelings for her?"

"I only need a year to know that she means more to me than anyone."

Sho sneered. "So then how does it feel to know she sees you as nothing more but her senior?"

Ren's gaze flickered as he tried to suppress the anger that instantly rushed through him. He wasn't going to crumble from Sho's words. He refused to show that kind of weakness. It was just another way to break him down and Ren would not give him that kind of satisfaction.

However, his silence must have only fueled Sho's cruelty because the musician suddenly barked in laughter and moved his head in condescending sympathy.

"Nothing's more pathetic than a man who pines for a woman who doesn't want him. Just look at the state of the number one bachelor in Japan now. Tell me, Tsuruga, do you feel any shame at all?"

"Regardless of how she feels, I won't back down."

"Really?" Sho asked with a raised eyebrow. "Even when you know who resides in her heart?"

Ren clenched his hand into a tight fist, his anger dangerously bubbling to the surface.

Sho snickered and ran his hand through his hair. "You know, don't you? Kyoko won't love anyone else as long as I'm around."

"She's stronger than you think," Ren answered under his breath with the vain hope that the lower he spoke, the better control he'll have.

"Is that what you believe, Tsuruga? Or what you hope?" Sho retorted.

Ren closed his eyes and shook his head. "Is this your sick, twisted game? To make her despise you until there's nothing left for her?"

"She doesn't need anything else," Sho spat angrily. "She was content living her life for me! What makes the future any different?"

"Kyoko's changed."

Scoffing, he replied, "Obviously not. It's been a year and she still hasn't gotten over me."

"Neither have you."

Sho froze.

Raising his hardened eyes, Ren murmured, "Is she the only one holding onto the past, Fuwa?"

"Shut the fuck up!" he shouted. "Don't act like you know me! You know NOTHING about me!"

Ren didn't reply except watch the angered man turn redder by the second. He didn't need to hear anything else. Sho's reaction was more than clear.

Angered beyond belief by the actor's nonchalant response, Sho stomped forward and snarled, "I'm the one that let her go! I'm the one that tossed her aside! There's nothing for me to hang on to!"

"Then why are you so afraid?" Ren asked calmly. "Why ask me how I feel about her?"

Sho smirked. "Call it out of the goodness of my own heart, Tsuruga. It's my way of saving you from certain humiliation. You know just as well as I do that Kyoko will never love you. Even when you came running to her like a knight in shining armor, she did nothing that a mere acquaintance wouldn't do."

Looking right into Ren's livid eyes, he flashed a mocking smile and said, "No matter how hard you try and no matter what you do, Kyoko will always look at you with the same, unrelenting reverence. And you have no one to blame but yourself, Tsuruga. Look at how easily you fade into the background. Even as the famous person that you are, you can't even hold one girl's attention."

"I, on the other hand," he continued with a smug chuckle, "need only to stand before her and she's consumed with thoughts of me. Do you honestly think that you even have the slightest chance to win? You may have beaten me in recognition, but how does it feel to know that the only girl you ever love belongs to me?"

Sho chuckled. "And that's why you hate me so much, isn't it?" he sneered, waiting for the actor to blow. "I have everything you've ever wanted without trying nearly as much you have. You hate me for winning."

"You're wrong."

Sho scoffed and shook his head with derision. "Deny it all you want, Tsuruga, but your response is clear."

"I don't deny hating you, Fuwa," he clarified softly. "That, I believe, I've made apparent the first day we met."

The musician suddenly fell silent as an odd chill swirled around him. It was as if the temperature of the room had dropped a few degrees. Sho could feel the hairs on his neck stand-on end, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the man in front of him. But Ren wasn't even meeting his shocked gaze. His eyes were glued to the floor while his shoulders shook like leaves.

"My reasons for harboring ill feelings towards you do not stem from jealousy."

"Then what?" Sho demanded, frustrated at hearing the crack in his own voice.

And at that instant, Ren finally raised his head. Sho stumbled back in alarm at seeing the black fury in his eyes. It was nothing like he had ever seen. His brown eyes were now pitch black, ridden with anger that seemed to dim everything around them.

"You had everything," he replied in a forebodingly soft voice. "Her heart, her warmth, and her compassion were all yours. She did all that she could for you without ever once asking for anything in return. She altruistically stretched herself thin for the sole purpose to please you and your aspirations. And in the end, you treated her as a slave."

Ren took in a much needed breath, feeling the beast within him roar in fury. But holding his taut arms to his side, he murmured, "Kyoko destroyed all that she could have had for you and you were foolish enough to let her go."

"So you ask why I hate you?" the actor continued in the same chillingly quiet tone. "Isn't it obvious, Fuwa? I hate you for not knowing what you had and not appreciating the kindness she bestowed upon you. For not cherishing her like the treasure she is, for not respecting her like the wonderful woman she is, and for not loving her like the angel she is."

"But what infuriates me above all else is that you have the audacity to put claim on her, to stress that she's yours when you're the one who left her, and to torture her for your own self enjoyment. I hate everything you've done and all that you do to a girl who did nothing but loved you unconditionally."

Ren's eyes hardened. "You don't deserve her."

Sho balled his hands into tight fists, furious at the words that struck into him like knives. He could scarcely believe the pain that rippled through him. It shook him to his very core because try all he might, he couldn't deny Ren's accusations. Not a single sound of defiance could rise because there was no mistake. They were all true. But driven by his hideous anger, Sho retorted, "Is that why you think you'll win?"

Ren slowly shook his head, replying, "You still don't get it, Fuwa. This isn't about winning."

"Then what the hell is it then? If you don't want to win Kyoko, then what the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm trying to give her everything she deserves."

Sho faltered.

"Whether she'll love me for it or not, is none of my concern. I just want to show her that she's worth so much more than how people have treated her," Ren answered softly.

"And you honestly expect me to believe you want nothing?"

"Nothing more than she's already given me."

"You know Kyoko will never love you like the way you want her to," he growled viciously. "It's impossible!"

"Maybe," he murmured back, "but that's not enough reason for me stop."

Sho stared at the man as if he had never seen him before. He couldn't believe the look on his face or the intense genuineness that colored his dark eyes. Sho had always thought he understood what it meant to love another. Kyoko's unrelenting devotion to him and her willingness to do whatever he wished were signs he believed to be love. But as he gazed at the tall actor in astonishment, Sho realized that this was entirely different.

Ren had willingly brought himself to his knees. He expressed a vulnerability that most men would die before showing. But how was it possible that he was still proud? How was it possible that he could still look at him with a gaze that flickered with undeniable strength? Although he had won nothing, it was clear that he didn't need to. Ren confessed those feelings out of sincerity, not from pride or selfish purpose. His words rang true.

Was this the difference between the two men? Was this what he meant?

"You love her that much?" Sho whispered, feeling the intense fire die within him.

Ren's eyes softened as a small smile curved at the corner of his lips. Then in a surprisingly tender voice, he murmured, "More than you ever will."

* * *

Kyoko ran. She ran as far as she possibly could. Her footsteps echoed all around her and her breathing dramatically increased in speed. But nothing could stop her from moving, not the painful stitch in her side nor the searing pain in her legs. If she stopped, her feelings would catch up to her. If she stopped, there was no telling what her heart would do. If she stopped, she could never run away again.

Kyoko refused to give in. She needed to go. She needed to clear her head of all the words that escaped his lips. She could already feel the change ripple within her. There was nothing to protect her from the wave of emotions that threatened to pull her under.

Not again. She swore to herself never again. This couldn't happen again.

Swinging the front TBM doors open, Kyoko greedily gulped the chill-night air. It broke through the heavy fog in her mind, but no matter how hard she tried, Kyoko couldn't get herself to forget.

Her heart throbbed painfully. The tears that pooled at the corner of her eyes were proof that her shield was broken. There was nothing to protect her from the feelings that poured through her. There was absolutely nothing left.

Kyoko stumbled forward and looked up at the dark sky, seeing the stars twinkle brightly above. Even though nothing around her had changed, everything had never felt so different. Looking down at her pale hands, Kyoko watched them tremble uncontrollably. She could feel the fear rise within her as the intense rush of emotions overtook her.

She couldn't stop them. Even now, as she closed her eyes, his face came into view and the tears she desperately tried to hold back streamed down her cheeks. Everything he said burned into her mind. She felt weak and helpless, afraid and vulnerable. And when her eyes trailed to the familiar silver car that stood a few feet away, Kyoko felt her heart ache in her chest.

What was she going to do? How could she save herself?

Then, as if her body had had a mind of its own, she unwillingly walked forward and ran her slender fingers over the cold door frame. A part of her told her to flee, run as far as she possibly could. The greater the distance she placed between them, the safer she would be. But dare she run? In the condition she was now in, how far would Kyoko go before she fully broke down? Could she really leave?

There was no strength left in her. The fight in her had gone. As soon as he murmured those heart-felt words, Kyoko fell—she fell into the same horrid trap she vowed never to fall for again. And with him as the sole captor of her feelings, she knew there would be no escape.

Falling weakly to her knees, Kyoko pressed her forehead against the door and closed her eyes. The sobs ripped through her chest as defeat came raining down like a storm. She shook her head in desperation, but it was useless. Every breath she took tore down all of her stone-hard defenses. Her heart began to beat with more strength as the locks she had meticulously built began to crumble.

She was powerless. He won.

"What have you done?" Kyoko whispered as the last lock shattered to pieces.


	9. Comfort

Hi! Thank you for the great reviews. I'm so glad you guys liked the confrontation between Ren and Sho. I'm always afraid to write out those kinds of scenes, in fear of it being OOC. But thankfully, you all didn't think so. Thanks again for the awesome support! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

Yashiro stood rooted to the spot, his eyes swiveling back and forth so fast that he could have sworn they were rotating on their own. "Uh, am I interrupting?" he asked uncertainly as he focused on his tall friend who was staring at the blond musician with an expression he didn't quite understand.

The young manager had no idea that this was the situation he would come to find as he walked through the halls of TBM. Although he had found it bizarre that Ren was nowhere to be found, Yashiro assumed he was probably with Kyoko or something. In fact, he was practically begging for it. But to find Ren with his arch nemesis was nothing short of alarming. Yashiro could hardly believe his eyes.

He always thought that if the two men were to ever speak to one another, bombs would be going off in the background, signaling the end of the world. To watch the catastrophic event unfold in a plain white hallway was certainly not as dramatic and, to be frank, almost a let-down. He was even surprised not to find any cracked holes in the plastered walls. Yashiro smiled grimly. His imagination was getting way out of hand.

Ren took in a silent deep breath and gave a shake of his head. Oddly enough, he wasn't surprised that Yashiro had caught them. His friend always seemed to have a knack of arriving at the most critical time.

"It's fine, Yashiro. I think we're done here," he murmured calmly, raising his eyes just a fraction of an inch to meet Sho's gaze as if daring him to say otherwise.

He didn't. Although there were plenty of things still brewing inside of him, Sho didn't have the voice to say them anymore. The fire in him had died. Besides, the last thing he wanted was a spectator.

Seeing that Sho made no move to continue the conversation, Ren turned around and met Yashiro's wide-eyed gaze with what he hoped was a normal smile. "Is Mogami-san waiting?" he asked.

Yashiro blinked. "Actually, I was going to ask you that. I thought she was with you."

"You don't know where she is?" Ren asked with wide eyes.

Shaking his head, Yashiro answered, "No, I haven't seen her."

Ren silently chided himself for getting wrapped up in this sort of situation. His number one priority should have been Kyoko. He could have dealt with Sho whenever, but the fact of the matter was that it was nearly impossible for him to walk away from a chance to finally let his frustration flow freely.

Yet knowing there were more important matters at hand, Ren walked forward and said, "Then we should go, Yashiro. She's probably waiting."

Yashiro nodded.

And after one last furtive glance at Sho, he silently followed Ren down the hall. But just as the two men took a few steps in the opposite direction, Sho had finally awoken from his frozen stupor and called loudly in a defiant voice:

"This isn't fucking over."

Looking up anxiously, Yashiro waited for Ren's eyes to blaze at the musician's rude tone, but to his surprise, his friend had only coolly turned around and met the musician's hard gaze.

"I know it isn't," Ren replied in a smooth voice.

He glared, pissed at the actor's casual manner. "I hope you enjoy disappointment, Tsuruga," Sho added as he straightened up to his full height. "I don't lose."

Yashiro's eyes widen in alarm as he watched the change suddenly unfold across Ren's normally placid face. He had seen his angry side before—heck, he had even been on the receiving end of it once. But this was unlike anything he had ever seen or experienced before in his life. This was beyond anger. Although the look wasn't directed at him in any way, Yashiro could still feel shivers run straight down his spine from the sheer power that emanated from him. He seemed like a totally different man.

Then with a bone-chilling gaze, Ren murmured in a dangerously low voice, "Until now."

And without another word, he silently turned around and walked away, before he did something he knew he would come to regret.

* * *

Kyoko stood under the pale lamplight and wrapped her thin arms around her waist. The tears had stopped falling by now, but her cheeks were still damp. She gently ran the back of her hand across her cool face and sniffed. Her throat hurt, her eyes were most likely swollen, and she was 100% drained.

The cold night air, although unwelcoming to her physical body, provided a good cooling effect on her nerves. She turned around and stared back at the silver car. Kyoko had half a mind to go. She knew that if she were to stay, her heart wouldn't last for very long. Already, she could feel how erratic her heartbeats were and how it took everything she had to take in slow, normal breaths. Kyoko felt like a wreck.

But the will to leave him without saying a word was something she couldn't do either. He deserved better than that. Kyoko turned away and bit down on her lip. She didn't know what to do.

Then, as if life had decided to make the choice for her, she suddenly heard the double doors open from behind. Instantly, her back stiffened as the soft thuds of footsteps approached. She knew it was him. There was no doubt about it.

He had this unworldly ability to change just about everything around him from nothing but his mere presence. The way the air crackled, the shift in mood, and her trembling heart were all tell-tale signs he was here.

"Mogami-san?"

She shivered unconsciously. Just hearing his voice brought all the memories back like a floodgate. It only proved how different everything was now. There was just no going back.

Forcing her body to turn, Kyoko slowly met his warm eyes and prayed with all her might that he wouldn't notice anything unusual. Although she felt edgy and helpless, she wanted nothing more than to appear normal. The last thing she needed was to explain herself, especially when she had no idea what she just might say.

Ren reluctantly took a step closer, instinctively hesitant as if any sudden movement would scare her. He had no idea why, but he knew in an instant that something was different. Kyoko's tense stance and her large, glistening eyes didn't seem right. Of course, considering the ordeal she went through tonight, Ren assumed it was just the shock that was finally getting to her. Yet, her way of staring at him as if she was seeing him for the very first time couldn't be dismissed, not to mention the fact that she was waiting outside rather than in the front lobby.

So wanting to understand, he flashed a small smile and said, "What are you doing out here?"

Kyoko swallowed hard, hoping with all her might that when she opened her mouth, something rational would spill forth. Her tumultuous feelings had to remain silent.

"I needed some fresh air," Kyoko finally answered, pleased that her voice had actually sounded…_okay_.

Ren nodded with an understanding smile. "Of course," he replied. "Sitting cooped up in a room is probably the last thing you wanted to do."

She agreed silently.

And just as he was about to ask her how she was feeling, Ren finally noticed how inadequate her clothes were for a night like this. She wore nothing but a pale blouse and a pair of jeans. Even from where he was standing, he could see the goose bumps rising up and down her slender arms and how her body was trembling in the chill air. Concerned, he stepped forward and easily slipped out of his dark coat. He saw the flash of surprise in her eyes at his movement, but Ren chose to ignore it and gently draped the thick coat over her.

But just as she was about to open her mouth to refuse, he wrapped a firm arm around her shoulders and pressed the fabric closer to her skin. "Let's get you out of the cold, Mogami-san," Ren said as he led her to the silver car. "I'll take you home."

"You don't have to do that, Tsuruga-san," she insisted desperately. "I can take a cab!"

Ren sighed softly and shook his head, weary at her refusal to depend on others. "I know you can, Mogami-san, but to be honest, this is for me. I can't feel at ease until I personally see you home."

Unable to argue against his defiant but also gentle tone, Kyoko could only focus on the comforting weight of his arm as he unlocked the car door and placed her onto the leather seat. He had even reached over and buckled the seat belt for her before he softly closed the door behind him. She closed her eyes for a split second, willing her sporadic heart to calm. Kyoko was almost certain he could hear how intense it was pounding. Her chest was practically in pain.

But he had only casually climbed into the front seat and started the ignition, oblivious to how quickly Kyoko was falling apart. Ren turned on the heat and faced every vent towards her, completely neglecting the cold his body was already feeling. To Ren, Kyoko was all that mattered.

"Comfortable?" he asked politely.

Kyoko nodded.

Then with one more reassuring smile, he drove the car out of the parking lot and onto the empty street. Kyoko instantly faced the windows to watch the passing scenery, but no matter how hard she tried, her mind would not focus on anything but the man sitting beside her. She breathed in deeply and was immediately hit with his scent. It flooded all of her senses, making it damn near impossible to think of anything else but him. Of course, it wasn't as if she had a choice. Everything—from her actions all the way down to her roaring feelings—was suddenly all about him. And it scared Kyoko like no other.

"It must have been really hard."

She slightly jumped at the sound of his silky voice before she instinctively turned back to him and saw him staring at her out the corner of his eye. Kyoko delicately raised an eyebrow in question.

"Being in there," Ren clarified, "with no way out. It must have been frightening."

She moved her head in agreement and looked down at her tightly clasped hands. "It was…"

Then oddly feeling sentimental, she suddenly added softly under her breath, "…until you got there." There was no good reason as to why she decided to say that, but as soon as the words left her lips, Kyoko didn't regret it. It felt like the right thing to do.

But instead of flashing his angelic smile that she thought he would have done, Ren had instead replied in an oddly strained voice, "I should have gotten to you sooner."

She raised her head in surprise to see the dark look in his eyes. He didn't turn to her, but his grip upon the steering wheel got significantly tighter. She watched his knuckles turn pale white, but when she glanced at his body, it was as if he had barely moved.

Then in a voice that obviously showed how bothered he was, Ren confessed, "Out of all people to accompany you, I wouldn't have chosen him."

Her eyes widen. He had never voiced how he felt about Sho. And she always assumed it was because Ren didn't want to sound biased or petty, but to hear the resentment now only brought home how much he looked out for her.

Kyoko lowered her eyes, whispering, "Neither would I."

Ren stole a quick glance in her direction and noticed she was looking down at her lap again. He had no idea why he had let that slip. Maybe it was because he was still frustrated from what had happened earlier, but nevertheless he should have kept his mouth shut. This wasn't about him. This was about Kyoko and forcing her to remember because he himself couldn't forget was unfair. Ren was letting his emotions get the best of him and she was now paying for it.

But just as he was about to apologize for his insensitivity, Kyoko suddenly sighed and whispered, "Should I just forget?"

Ren's gaze flickered back to her as she smiled weakly and murmured, "About everything?"

"It was just a couple of hours ago, Mogami-san. There's no need to—"

"I don't mean what happened in the elevator, Tsuruga-san."

He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Then what do you mean?"

Kyoko exhaled deeply and lowered her eyes. "After getting out of the elevator tonight, I came to realize how unstable I am whenever I'm around him. Even though a year has already passed, he can still get such a rise out of me to the point where I completely forget who I am and how far I've come. It's quite pathetic, isn't it? I can't help but wonder if that only shows how weak I am, that maybe I didn't grow up as much as I thought. If that's the case, should I just forget?"

She sighed softly. "Forget all that he's done to me?"

Suddenly, the car came to a halt. Kyoko's head sprang up in alarm. She could scarcely believe that they were already in front of the restaurant. But the biggest thing that caught her off guard was Ren. He had swiftly turned off the rumbling engine and twisted in his seat so that he faced her. His face was strangely hard while his eyes blazed with an intensity that lodged her words in her throat. It was as if someone had sucked all the air from out of the room.

But what really surprised her was the answer that softly came from his lips. "You can't."

Kyoko blinked in confusion. After hearing all the words he had said tonight, she thought he would say yes, but to hear otherwise, completely shocked her.

Then in a very gentle and unsuspected motion, Ren reached out and grasped her hand. Kyoko's heart stuttered in her chest as her eyes instantly locked on her hand in his. The contrast between the two surprised her. His hand was so much larger than hers, but at the same time, was both warm and smooth. Just looking down at his hands said so much about the kind of man he was. But when she finally had the courage to look up at him, she realized he had a pained look in his eyes.

Rubbing small circles upon her skin, Ren murmured, "If I could somehow take away all of your pain, Mogami-san, I would. If I could somehow make everything better, I would. If I could change the past, I would do anything. But forgetting…is hard. No matter how hard you try, your past stays with you."

Unconsciously, Kyoko gripped his hand tighter, as if she could alleviate the pain that so obviously filled his normally warm, brown eyes. The pounding of her heart was no longer a testament to his touch, but now her desire to be there for him. She had never wanted to help so badly.

Comforted by her warmth, Ren took in a deep breath and said, "But even though you can't forget, I don't ever want you to be afraid."

Kyoko's eyes widen as his sincerity flooded through her veins. By now, her heart had fully stopped dead in her chest. The world had faded to black except for the very man in front of her, tenderly holding her hand as if he was the only anchor holding her to reality.

"Why?" she breathed.

Ren gently let go and brushed the back of his hand across her porcelain cheek. Then cupping her face within his large hand, he murmured tenderly, "Because I won't ever let anyone hurt you."

In a flash, everything crumbled. Her last defense had finally collapsed. Suddenly, the warmest feeling, the sensation she thought she had lost for so long, rushed straight through her body, leaving not a single doubt in her mind. It was all so clear now.

But this time, Kyoko wasn't afraid. As she was slowly taken under his heated gaze, she realized that there was nothing to fear. He was different. He would always be different.

Ren smiled gently as he watched her golden eyes glisten. Nothing made him happier than providing the woman he loved with some kind of solace. To see her take his words to heart and to have her trust in him made Ren realize more and more how much she meant to him.

But before he could say anything else, he suddenly heard his trouser pocket buzz in the silence.

Unwillingly moving his hand away from her face, he reached inside and pulled out his black cell phone. He had just received a voice-mail from Yashiro. Kyoko tilted her head towards him in curiosity as he replied, "It's Yashiro. He's probably wondering if you got home safely yet."

Kyoko nodded, realizing that she had completely forgotten about everything else around her. It was as if the entire world was suddenly reduced to this very moment.

But remembering her manners, Kyoko bowed her head and said in a soft voice, "Thank you for the ride, Tsuruga-san. It means a lot."

Ren smiled and brushed his fingertips across her cheek. "Not a problem, Mogami-san. I'll walk you to the door."

Swiftly, he stepped out of the car and rushed to the passenger side to open the door for her. Kyoko delicately placed her hand in his as he pulled her to her feet. Then barely touching the small of her back, Ren led Kyoko to the front door in silence. There was no need for words. He had said more than enough.

Once they reached the over-hang, Kyoko turned to him and smoothly slipped out of his coat, but Ren had suddenly stopped her and placed a hand upon her arm. "Keep it," he said with a smile. "It'll give me a reason to come pick you up tomorrow."

Kyoko laughed breathlessly and to his surprise, nodded as she draped the coat over her arm. "Thank you."

And feeling braver than he had ever felt before, Ren suddenly stepped forward and gently pulled her to his chest. Instantly, Kyoko leaned her cheek against his sweater, reliving the embrace that they had shared a couple of hours before. But this time, she could feel the pleasure seeping through her skin. She could feel the shakiness of her knees and the intense pounding of her heart. But they didn't scare her—not anymore.

"I'm glad you're safe, Mogami-san," Ren murmured against her hair.

"Thanks to you."

He chuckled lightly at the sound of her tiny voice and stepped back. "The firemen were there too."

She nodded. "But you're the one who pulled me out," Kyoko said with a small smile.

Ren's eyes widen, feeling so happy that he was sure his heart was going to burst. But reigning himself back, he smiled in return and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll be here around eight o'clock. Is that alright?"

Kyoko nodded. "That'll be fine."

"Then I guess this is good night," he whispered.

Her eyes softened. "Good night, Tsuruga-san."

And with one last brush against her cheek, he quietly turned around and made his way back towards the car. Away from her presence, Ren finally allowed his emotions to take over. He willingly stepped away from his carefully composed façade and let his inner desires shine through. The cold no longer had an effect on him. Ren had never felt warmer. If only Kyoko could see the look upon his face, she would have seen without a doubt how deeply this man felt and how much he cared.

But if Ren had taken a split second to turn around also, he would have realized that the woman he loved undoubtedly felt the same.


	10. Happy

Greetings everyone! I hope you all have been having a splendid week so far and once again, I can't thank you enough for all the touching reviews. Reading your thoughts not only gives me ideas to go forward, but also the encouragement to keep writing. Thank you again and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please Read and Review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of its characters.**

* * *

The birds chirping outside alerted Kyoko that morning had finally come. She lay down on her side, facing the window with the curtains drawn tight. Even though her eyes weren't open, she could tell that her bedroom was bathed in a hazy blue from the sunlight against her long drapes.

Reaching out a slender hand, Kyoko blindly ran her fingers across the blanket over her body, the carpeted floor, the alarm clock beside her head, and the small jewelry bag she pulled out last night. Everything felt the same; everything was sitting right where she had left them. But Kyoko couldn't understand the feeling of unfamiliarity that flooded through her. It was as if she was a completely different person.

She carefully blinked away her blurry vision as she turned onto her back and focused on the dark ceiling above her. Kyoko inhaled deeply, feeling her body awaken from the fresh air that eventually pulled her to a sitting position. She ran a slender hand through her hair and combed through the silky tresses. Then curling her knees to her chest, Kyoko wrapped her arms around her legs and comfortably leaned her chin against them.

Smiling gently, she realized that her heart was beating so steadily now. Every thump sent a warm sensation rippling down her spine. She had never felt so alive. And even though she felt tired and restless, her body didn't seem to care. It was as if she was running on nothing else but pure adrenaline and thrill.

As her thoughts drifted to the day ahead, Kyoko felt her cheeks flush red. It was suddenly all she could do. Kyoko was certain that by the end of it all, her cheeks would be permanently stained. She then glanced down at her Darumaya clock and realized it was 6:57, three minutes before her alarm would go off. Kyoko switched the machine off and got to her feet to pull the curtains and window open.

She stepped out onto the balcony and watched the sun rise over the horizon. The cold from last night was now a cool gentle breeze, blowing across her face. The day was starting out beautifully. It really felt like a dream. And if Kyoko didn't know any better, she would have dismissed all that had happened as just that. But when she turned around, her eyes warmly fell upon the one piece of evidence that made it all too real.

Walking back into the room, Kyoko knelt down onto her cot and lifted his dark coat to her face. Tentatively, she breathed in and felt her senses go haywire. It was as if her body was suddenly on high alert, excited to see him once more. An involuntary smile curved at the corner of her lips as her heart leapt in eagerness.

Kyoko glanced back at the clock and whispered, "One more hour." And just like that, her heartbeats slowed until it was the comfortable drumming in her chest once more.

It was scary how so many things could change overnight. Here she was, fingering his jacket as if it was the most precious object she ever held. It was so unlike her. Then on instinct, Kyoko reached a hand to her neck and felt Queen Rosa pressed against her skin. She had never worn the necklace off set. She was always weary of what kind of emotion she would feel if she did, but now, Kyoko wanted to wear it—not as Natsu, but solely as herself.

Only now did she realize how much he meant to her, how he held such an integral part of her life, and how important he was to her.

Kyoko was also pleasantly surprised to find that she was actually keeping it together. Before falling to her restless sleep last night, she assumed that by the time she woke up, she would go back to her usual self-denial and fear. But instead, she felt excited and thrilled, happy and warm. She had never felt anything like this before, but somehow she understood that this was right. Everything felt right.

Raising her eyes to the wall opposite of her, she stared at his picture and felt her head nod. Yes, everything was finally right. But when her focus trailed to the poster beside his picture, Kyoko's eyes hardened just a bit. There was still one thing left to do.

With her jaw clenched tight, Kyoko rose to her feet and approached the wall. She carefully removed the four gold pins from each corner and held the large paper in her hands. Staring at his face, Kyoko waited for her irritation to rise, but oddly enough, she felt nothing. Instead of wanting to lash out angrily, she could finally stare at his picture with a sense of indifference.

His blue eyes, his blond locks, and proud expression were no longer traitorous to her. Although she didn't feel forgiving, Kyoko realized that having his poster in her room defeated the purpose of what she was trying to do: to start anew. She never needed him, not then and certainly not now.

Hate was a waste. Hate had consumed her. And hate took effort.

Sho wasn't worth any of it.

So feeling serenity at the choice she had made, Kyoko looked at his face for one last time before tearing the poster in half.

* * *

Ren moved the gearshift to park as soon as he pulled up to the restaurant. He looked at the dashboard and saw that the clock read 7:44. He groaned inwardly. If his shaky hands and the butterflies in his stomach didn't make him feel pathetic before, Ren had finally hit rock bottom.

He was early—way too early. That drive didn't take nearly as long as he had hoped, even though it truly felt like an eternity. In fact, the whole night felt like an endless stretch of time. It was as if sleep was taunting him as he hopelessly tossed and turned in bed, begging for just a few minutes of rest. His eyes and body were tired, but his mind was wide awake. Ren couldn't stop thinking about her.

Reliving the moment he held her in his arms and the tiny grip of her hands upon his sweater made his heart beat into a frenzy. To be so affected by such a small event was certainly pitiable, but he couldn't help it. Ren couldn't deny the surge of pleasure that erupted within him whenever he remembered her beautiful smile and large, golden eyes that seemed to stare straight into his soul.

Ren turned back to the restaurant and leaned against the head rest. Last night, he came up with a million possibilities of what might happen when he saw her again and every one of them seemed more unlikely than the last. It started off simple, like seeing her smile brightly in greeting as she spotted him waiting outside and before he knew it his imagination got the best of him as Ren imagined holding her hand while she snuggled against his arm.

He leaned his forehead onto the steering wheel. His resolve was quickly fading. If a mere thought like that could get such a rise out of him, Ren was afraid of what would happen when he saw her for real. Would he be able to hold it together?

This was, after all, the first time he personally came to pick her up. Although he had vehemently chastised himself for trying to make this moment more meaningful than it actually was, he couldn't ignore the intense satisfaction he felt. Ren oddly felt special that she would allow him to do such a thing. Knowing Kyoko, she hated relying on others and for her to accept his request made it seem as if he was different from everyone else.

Of course, he understood that that wasn't the case at all, but honestly what was the harm in dreaming? Ren sighed dejectedly and glanced at the clock once more: 7:50. That was better. Early enough for her to know that he wanted to be here, yet late enough so that he wouldn't seem over-excited. A grim smile crept across his face as he realized he was acting like a teenager. He looked like a 22 year old bachelor on the outside, but on the inside he felt like a bumbling 14 year old, here to pick up his date.

"If only that were true," he sighed as he stepped out of the car.

It was quite a chilly morning, but Ren welcomed the frosty air. It kept his head clear and he was sure he would need it once he was in her presence. Kyoko had an uncanny ability of catching him off guard, and considering the state he was in already, he needed to have his wits about him. Walking over to the passenger door, Ren decided to wait at the car instead of knocking at the front door. He wasn't sure if Kyoko would appreciate that, knowing she liked to keep her life private.

Glancing up, he realized that a bedroom window was open, but the curtains were too thick for him to see if there was anyone in the room. He watched the drapes move gently in the breeze, fixated on the graceful movement.

So fixated actually that Ren hadn't noticed Kyoko. She tentatively closed the door behind her and took a few steps forward before calling out in a soft voice, "Tsuruga-san?"

As if doused with cold water, he started in surprise until his eyes fell upon the most beautiful image. Kyoko was dressed in a delicate white skirt and blouse, holding his dark coat within her arms. But it was the small smile at the corner of her lips and the bright look in her gaze that made his heart jump with joy. She was perfect.

He removed himself from the car and smiled. "Good morning."

"Good morning," she greeted just as happily. But a touch of curiosity flashed across her face as she asked, "What were you staring at?"

Blushing scarlet, Ren stammered, "Oh! Um, it's n-n-nothing. I was just—uh, pondering!"

"About what?"

He shook his head with a nervous laugh. "Nothing of consequence. I'm just too easily distracted."

Kyoko giggled.

Another smile swept across Ren's face as he relished in the sound of her charming laugh. Although there was no reason for it, he couldn't help but realize she seemed to be in wonderfully good spirits today. Maybe his judgment was clouded because he himself felt very uplifted, but to his eyes, Kyoko seemed to glow in the morning air. She was getting more breathtaking by the second.

Then in desperate need for a distraction, he asked, "Ready to go?"

She nodded. "I didn't keep you waiting, did I?" Kyoko asked as she walked closer to the car.

He shook his head and leaned forward to open the door for her. "Not at all, but even so, you are well-worth the wait."

Ren's hand instantly froze on the handle. He couldn't believe he let that slip. He literally wanted to kick himself in the shin! If he had wanted to scare Kyoko away, he might as well had gotten down on his hands and knees and professed his love for her. She was probably horrified now! So waiting with abated breath for Kyoko to take that distraught step away from him, Ren turned to her and was about to mumble some kind of excuse when his words were suddenly caught in his throat.

Not only did Kyoko stay where she was, but her cheeks were flushed a beautiful crimson. She had lowered her head and her eyes were glued to the floor, but in a tiny voice, she whispered, "Thank you."

Biting down on his tongue before he said anything else, Ren only flashed a warm smile she didn't see and opened the door for her. Kyoko climbed in and shakily buckled the seat belt as soon as he closed the door behind her. With the same grace like last night, he walked around the front and got into the driver seat.

"Thank you again for the coat, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko began again when she trusted her voice was steady enough as she handed his jacket over.

"You're welcome. I'm glad it kept you warm."

She smiled in return.

Then with another twinkling gaze, Ren expertly maneuvered the car onto the road as Kyoko nervously held her hands in her lap and looked straight ahead. If she stared at him any longer, she was sure she was going to start babbling like an idiot. But thankfully, Ren didn't give her that chance because he filled the silence with, "I see you're wearing Queen Rosa today."

Flattered that he had actually noticed, Kyoko nodded at him with a smile.

"As always it looks great on you," Ren complimented. "Will you be filming for Box R later?"

Shaking her head, she answered, "No, not today. I just felt like wearing it."

Ren's eyes widen in surprise, but he kept his focus on the road. He didn't want her to see the excitement dancing across his face. She would probably think he was being ridiculous for being so happy, but that was exactly how he felt—wonderfully and intensely happy.

"What about you, Tsuruga-san? Are you filming today?"

"Actually, that's what I wanted to ask you," Ren said as he made a turn onto another street. "Would you mind taking up the role as Setsu tonight? The director asked to see the both of us."

"Of course I can! It was all my fault that nothing could get done yesterday! I'm truly sorry, Tsuruga-san."

Ren shook his head with a stern look. "Mogami-san, that was completely out of your control. There's no need to apologize. Besides, your safety is much more important than a movie."

Kyoko found no voice to reply. She was too touched to say anything else. It was truly remarkable how he easily he comforted her.

"How about we meet up at LME around nine?" he offered.

"That's perfect, Tsuruga-san."

"Would you need a ride?"

Kyoko smiled and shook her head stubbornly. "Oh no, Tsuruga-san. Any more rides, and I'm certain it's going to become a bad habit."

Ren chuckled. "You make it sound as if I'd mind," he teased.

"I would mind!" she replied, a smile curving at her mouth from his playful tone. "But nevertheless, thank you for the offer."

"Anytime, Mogami-san. And I mean that. Don't ever hesitate to call me even if it's for nothing but a ride."

She let out a breathless laugh before murmuring with an all too fluttering heart, "I won't."

Pleased that she had acquiesced to another one of his proposals, Ren drove to LME with a permanent smile upon his face. This day couldn't possibly be any better. He felt like he was walking on air.

The rest of the ride was filled with a comfortable silence. They both peeked at each other a couple of times, but no one had caught the other in the act. Once they had reached the company, Ren drove down to the underground garage from the back.

And at that moment, Kyoko suddenly realized something odd. She raised her head and said, "Tsuruga-san, what happened to Yashiro-san? Don't you normally drive him to work?"

"He needed to get to the company early today and decided to take a taxi instead."

"Oh, I-I-I see…"

Instantly, guilt swept through her veins. Kyoko couldn't help but think it was all because of her. She clearly got in the way of his regular routine. And as if Ren had read her mind, he added, "This was planned before I offered you the ride, Mogami-san. Yashiro needed to meet up with some people about the interview I'm having today."

She smiled guiltily at her transparency, but Ren had only glanced at her and chuckled. "Feel better?"

Kyoko nodded.

Satisfied and slightly amused, Ren parked the car and was about to go and open the car door for her when she had already gotten out. He met her at the front and together they walked through the echoic garage until they reached the door. He held the metal door open for her and followed her to the lobby. Not a lot of people were there, but every one of them had turned around and waved hello. Ren smiled back as Kyoko did her usual bow. It was hard not to adore her when she was so undeniably humble.

"Morning, you two!"

Kyoko and Ren turned to see Yashiro approaching with a bright smile. Ren instantly grimaced at the sight of his too-gleeful friend, but Kyoko didn't notice. She only bowed low and said, "Good morning, Yashiro-san."

"How do you feel?" he asked, taking a brotherly tone as he tenderly squeezed her shoulder.

"I'm fine, Yashiro-san. And thank you so much for everything you did."

He laughed with an unconcerned wave of his hand. "Nonsense, Kyoko-chan! You're giving me too much credit. I'm just glad everything worked out well." And with that, he suddenly threw a wicked grin at Ren who clearly did not understand why.

She flushed scarlet. Then with another polite dip of her head, she stammered, "W-w-well, I don't want to keep you. I'm sure you both have a busy day ahead."

"Are you sure you won't be needing a ride tonight?" Ren asked.

Kyoko nodded as she turned to face him. "I'll be fine."

Smiling, he murmured, "Nine o'clock then?"

"Nine o'clock it is." And with one last sweet smile, Kyoko walked away.

Ren stared after her for who knows how long. He just couldn't tear his gaze away. It was only until Yashiro loudly cleared his throat that he blinked away his fuzzy thoughts and turned to his amused friend. Sighing wearily, he took a step forward and said, "Yashiro, please spare me the teasing today. I'm wired enough as it is."

"I didn't even say anything!" he retorted, failing to wipe the grin off of his face. "Besides, is it so bad that I'm happy for you?"

"Happy about what?"

"The progress! Didn't I tell you everything will work out?"

Ren sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. Leave it to his friend to flame his already burning desire. But knowing full well that he had to rein it back for his own sanity, he muttered, "It was just a ride to work, Yashiro. Must you always put more meaning to everything that happens between me and her?"

He glared angrily. "Fine, downplay your accomplishment," Yashiro grumbled as he made his way to the elevators. "But after last night's heart-felt confession, I'm sure Kyoko-chan didn't think of the car ride as so simple as you."

Ren stopped dead in his tracks. When Yashiro had finally realized that he was walking alone, he confusedly turned around and to his obvious alarm found his friend standing a few feet away and as pale as a sheet. The color had completely drained from his face. "Ren?" he asked hesitantly. "What's wrong?"

Raising his shock-ridden eyes, he could only stare dumbfounded at Yashiro as his arms shook violently at his sides. He couldn't breathe.

Immediately, Yashiro's eyes widen as the answer clicked in place. "You didn't listen to my voicemail last night, did you?" he whispered.

Ren slowly shook his head.

Yashiro blinked a few times in surprise before he slightly shook of his head. Then walking forward, he placed a kind hand upon his friend's trembling shoulder and smiled sheepishly. "Ren…it was all caught on tape."

"Everything?" he croaked.

Yashiro nodded and with a quiet exhale, he said, "And you weren't alone."

His heart thumped loudly in his chest. It was as if the world had suddenly screeched to a thundering halt. The deafening roar of blood pounded through his ears, but Yashiro's following words didn't fail to register. Ren could hear every word.

So with frozen eyes, Ren watched his friend open his mouth and murmur in a gentle voice:

"She heard, Ren. She heard it all."

* * *

**THE END! Lol. Now, I assume that some people would want a more "lovey-dovey" and intimate confession, but I wanted to leave the ending to your imagination. I think it's funner that way. XD But nevertheless, I hope you were satisfied with the story and continue to support my future ideas. I can't thank you enough for reading, following, reviewing, and favoriting. Thank you again! **


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